Interaction-induced topological phases of non-equilibrium excitations in lattices (C06)

• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 277625399

Project C6 investigates topological properties of interaction-stabilized composite objects like doublons or solitons in topologically trivial bandstructures. We explore whether interactions induce topological behavior and the potential to switch between trivial and non-trivial systems. On the theory side we analyze fractional pumping of solitons, while the experimental work employs nonlinear waveguide lattices with optical Kerr nonlinearity to realize interactions in a mean-field regime. We examine interactions of solitons in topological pumps, potential changes in their internal degrees of freedom and analyze self-organized topological phases in a 1D chain and topological phase transitions in the Haldane model through laser-power and site-dependent nonlinearity.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 185: Open System Control of Atomic and Photonic Matter (OSCAR)
• Major Instrumentation: High-power fs/ps-pulsed laser
• Applicant Institution: Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Michael Fleischhauer; Dr. Christina Jörg; Professor Dr. Michael Köhl, until 6/2024; Professor Dr. Herwig Ott, until 6/2024