Topological waveguides are a recent development in physics, allowing for unique ways to manipuate elastic energy.
The video shows the distinct response to a dynamic excitation of an elastic plate (example, steel) and a lattice, with a unit cell as in the inset.
The lattice supports topologically protected helical edge waves, that do not scatter at corners and propagate only in the clockwise direction
Our approach involved learning lessons from quantum mechanics to derive mechanical models using discrete and continuous elastic media, culminating in the first experimental demonstration of such waves in continuous elastic media.
Video shows both the discrete model and its experimental realization in continuous elastic media
Journal publications
- Experimental observation of topologically protected helical edge modes in Kagome elastic plates. Physical Review X, 2018. M. Miniaci, R. K. Pal, B. Morvan and M. Ruzzene. pdf
- Amplitude-dependent topological edge states in nonlinear phononic lattices. Physical Review E, 2018. R. K. Pal, J. Vila, M. Leamy and M. Ruzzene.
- Observation of topological valley modes in an elastic hexagonal lattice. Physical Review B , 2017. J. Vila, R. K. Pal and M. Ruzzene. pdf
- Edge waves in plates with resonators: An elastic analogue of the quantum valley Hall effect. New Journal of Physics , 2017. R. K. Pal and M. Ruzzene. pdf
- Helical edge states in 2D phononic systems using bilayered lattices. Journal of Applied Physics, 2015. R. K. Pal, M. Schaeffer and M. Ruzzene. pdf