LATTICES OF COUPLED CAVITIES AS PHOTONIC SIMULATORS FOR TOPOLOGICAL PHENOMENA IN CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS

Abstract

We review several two- and three-dimensional metamaterial designs which serve as photonic simulators of topological phenomena in condensed matter physics. Based on a coupled-mode theory we show that lattices of interacting cavities can simulate Haldane lattices which exhibit one-way guided modes and mode coalescence in the absence of external magnetic field. Furthermore, periodic holey metals filled with a magnetoelectric material exhibit a nonreciprocal photonic band structure in the optical regime. Lastly, we show that a three-dimensional lattice of interacting cavities respecting time-reversal symmetry and a certain point-group symmetry can simulate a topological crystalline insulator.