Topological Dirac-vortex modes in a three-dimensional photonic topological insulator

Bei Yan, Yingfeng Qi, Ziyao Wang, Yan Meng, Linyun Yang, Zhen-Xiao Zhu, Jing-Ming Chen, Yuxin Zhong, Min-Qi Cheng, Xiang Xi () and Zhen Gao ()
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Bei Yan: Southern University of Science and Technology
Yingfeng Qi: Southern University of Science and Technology
Ziyao Wang: Southern University of Science and Technology
Yan Meng: Dongguan University of Technology
Linyun Yang: Chongqing University
Zhen-Xiao Zhu: Southern University of Science and Technology
Jing-Ming Chen: Southern University of Science and Technology
Yuxin Zhong: Southern University of Science and Technology
Min-Qi Cheng: Southern University of Science and Technology
Xiang Xi: Dongguan University of Technology
Zhen Gao: Southern University of Science and Technology

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Recently, topological Dirac-vortex modes in Kekulé-distorted photonic lattices have attracted broad interest and exhibited promising applications in robust photonic devices such as topological cavities, lasers, and fibers. However, due to the vectorial nature of electromagnetic waves that results in complicated band dispersions and fails the tight-binding model predictions, it is challenging to construct three-dimensional (3D) topological photonic structures with Kekulé distortion, and the photonic topological Dirac-vortex modes have thus far been limited to two-dimensional (2D) systems. Here, by directly mapping a 3D Kekulé-distorted tight-binding model in a 3D tight-binding-like photonic crystal exhibiting scalar-wave-like band structures, we theoretically propose and experimentally demonstrate topological Dirac-vortex modes in a 3D photonic topological insulator for the first time. Using microwave near-field measurements, we directly observe robust photonic topological Dirac-vortex modes bound to and propagating along a one-dimensional (1D) Dirac-vortex line defect, matching well with the tight-binding and simulation results. Our work offers an ideal platform to map tight-binding models in 3D topological photonic crystals directly and opens a new avenue for exploiting topological lattice defects to manipulate light in 3D space.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61238-7

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