Topolectrical Circuits

• Published in: Communications physics Vol. 1; no. 1
• Main Authors: Lee, Ching Hua, Imhof, Stefan, Berger, Christian, Bayer, Florian, Brehm, Johannes, Molenkamp, Laurens W., Kiessling, Tobias, Thomale, Ronny
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 23.07.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 639/766/1130; 639/766/119/2792/4128; Circuits; Electric bridges; Electrical impedance; Impedance measurement; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; RLC circuits; Topological insulators; Topology
• ISSN: 2399-3650; 2399-3650
• DOI: 10.1038/s42005-018-0035-2

Invented by Alessandro Volta and Félix Savary in the early 19th century, circuits consisting of resistor, inductor and capacitor (RLC) components are omnipresent in modern technology. The behavior of an RLC circuit is governed by its circuit Laplacian, which is analogous to the Hamiltonian describing the energetics of a physical system. Here we show that topological insulating and semimetallic states can be realized in a periodic RLC circuit. Topological boundary resonances (TBRs) appear in the impedance read-out of a topolectrical circuit, providing a robust signal for the presence of topological admittance bands. For experimental illustration, we build the Su-Schrieffer–Heeger circuit, where our impedance measurement detects the TBR midgap state. Topolectrical circuits establish a bridge between electrical engineering and topological states of matter, where the accessibility, scalability, and operability of electronics synergizes with the intricate boundary properties of topological phases. The discovery of topological insulators has given rise to a flourishing field dedicated to the investigation of the topological state of matter. This manuscript contributes to this field by introducing the idea of a topoelectrical circuit, whereby an assembly of conventional circuit elements realises various topological band structures.