Nonlinear and tunable topological states of light and sound

This project aims to provide deep theoretical insights into the physics of electromagnetic and mechanical topological states by bridging fundamental concepts of optics, optomechanics and nonlinear physics. The rapidly expanding digital world calls for a new generation of photonic devices to transmit and process information without losses. Recently discovered topological phases open unique opportunities to realise topological states of light that are inherently immune to scattering losses. This multidisciplinary project aims to bridge fundamental topological physics with nonlinear nanophotonics and optomechanics by developing novel concepts of topological systems, dynamically tunable by nonlinearity. An expected outcome of this project is new approaches to control both light and sound dynamically in complex nanoscale structures, and uncover disorder-immune technologies for applications in on-chip communications and information processing.