We present the first experimental demonstration of a new type of localized state in the continuum, namely, compacton-like linear states in flat-band lattices. To this end, we employ photonic Lieb lattices, which exhibit three tight-binding bands, with one being perfectly flat. Discrete predictions are confirmed by realistic continuous numerical simulations as well as by direct experiments. Our results could be of great importance for fundamental physics as well as for various applications where light needs to be conducted in a diffractionless and localized manner over long distances.
We investigate, theoretically and experimentally, a photonic realization of a Sawtooth lattice. This special lattice exhibits two spectral bands, with one of them experiencing a complete collapse to a highly degenerate flat band for a special set of inter-site coupling constants. We report the observation of different transport regimes, including strong transport inhibition due to the appearance of the non-diffractive flat band. Moreover, we excite localized Shockley surface states residing in the gap between the two linear bands.
We experimentally study a Stub photonic lattice and excite their localized linear states originated from an isolated Flat Band at the center of the linear spectrum. By exciting these modes in different regions of the lattice, we observe that they do not diffract across the system and remain well trapped after propagating along the crystal. By using their wave nature, we are able to combine – in phase and out of phase – two neighbor states into a coherent superposition. These observations allow us to propose a novel setup for performing three different all-optical logical operations such as OR, AND, and XOR, positioning Flat Band systems as key setups to perform all-optical operations at any level of power.
We report on the experimental realization of a quasi-one-dimensional photonic graphene ribbon supporting four flat-bands (FBs). We study the dynamics of fundamental and dipolar modes, which are analogous to the s and p orbitals, respectively. In the experiment, both modes (orbitals) are effectively decoupled from each other, implying two sets of six bands, where two of them are completely flat (dispersionless). Using an image generator setup, we excite the s and p FB modes and demonstrate their non-diffracting propagation for the first time. Our results open an exciting route towards photonic emulation of higher orbital dynamics.
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