Breaking symmetry in time to protect light

Mikael C. Rechtsman; Nathan Goldman

doi:10.1038/s41565-025-02012-0

Breaking symmetry in time to protect light

Mikael C. Rechtsman
, Nathan Goldman

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Abstract

Topologically protected states in a photonic crystal can prevent backscattering of light, but creating these states requires the photonic crystal to be engineered to break time-reversal symmetry. Major strides have been taken towards this goal using a photonic crystal driven by a circularly polarized laser.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1542-1543
Number of pages	2
Journal	Nature nanotechnology
Volume	20
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-025-02012-0
State	Published - Nov 2025

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Bioengineering
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Biomedical Engineering
General Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1038/s41565-025-02012-0

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title = "Breaking symmetry in time to protect light",

abstract = "Topologically protected states in a photonic crystal can prevent backscattering of light, but creating these states requires the photonic crystal to be engineered to break time-reversal symmetry. Major strides have been taken towards this goal using a photonic crystal driven by a circularly polarized laser.",

author = "Rechtsman, \{Mikael C.\} and Nathan Goldman",

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doi = "10.1038/s41565-025-02012-0",

language = "English (US)",

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N2 - Topologically protected states in a photonic crystal can prevent backscattering of light, but creating these states requires the photonic crystal to be engineered to break time-reversal symmetry. Major strides have been taken towards this goal using a photonic crystal driven by a circularly polarized laser.

AB - Topologically protected states in a photonic crystal can prevent backscattering of light, but creating these states requires the photonic crystal to be engineered to break time-reversal symmetry. Major strides have been taken towards this goal using a photonic crystal driven by a circularly polarized laser.

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DO - 10.1038/s41565-025-02012-0

M3 - Comment/debate

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JO - Nature nanotechnology

JF - Nature nanotechnology

IS - 11

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Breaking symmetry in time to protect light

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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