Axion topology in photonic crystal domain walls

Chiara Devescovi (), Antonio Morales-Pérez (), Yoonseok Hwang, Mikel García-Díez, Iñigo Robredo, Juan Luis Mañes, Barry Bradlyn, Aitzol García-Etxarri () and Maia G. Vergniory ()
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Chiara Devescovi: ETH Zurich
Antonio Morales-Pérez: Donostia International Physics Center
Yoonseok Hwang: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Mikel García-Díez: Donostia International Physics Center
Iñigo Robredo: Donostia International Physics Center
Juan Luis Mañes: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Barry Bradlyn: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Aitzol García-Etxarri: Donostia International Physics Center
Maia G. Vergniory: Donostia International Physics Center

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Axion insulators are 3D magnetic topological insulators supporting hinge states and quantized magnetoelectric effects, recently proposed for detecting dark-matter axionic particles via their axionic excitations. Beyond theoretical interest, obtaining a photonic counterpart of axion insulators offers potential for advancing magnetically-tunable photonic devices and axion haloscopes based on axion-photon conversion. This work proposes an axionic 3D phase within a photonic setup. By building inversion-symmetric domain-walls in gyrotropic photonic crystals, we bind chiral modes on inversion-related hinges, ultimately leading to the realization of an axionic channel of light. These states propagate embedded in a 3D structure, thus protected from radiation in the continuum. Employing a small external gyromagnetic bias, we transition across different axionic mode configurations, enabling effective topological switching of chiral photonic fibers. While demonstrating the possibility of realizing axion photonic crystals within state-of-the-art gyrotropic setups, we propose a general scheme for rendering axion topology at domain walls of Weyl semimetals.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50766-3

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