Experimental realization of phoxonic topological insulators

Abstract

Phoxonic topological insulators (PTIs), integrating the properties of phononic and photonic topological insulators, offer a reliable platform for concurrently managing sound and light. However, experimental realizations of PTIs have yet to be achieved. Here, we develop a glide-symmetric PTI that supports dual-band gapless phononic and photonic interface states, with experimental validation of their coexistence. Furthermore, we design a second-order PTI that supports both phononic and photonic corner states, which are also confirmed experimentally. The developed PTIs provide a platform for topologically protected optoacoustic systems, enabling the simultaneous control of sound and light while unlocking new opportunities to probe their interactions.