Rapid Design, Fabrication, and Optimization of 3D Printed Photonic Topological Insulators

Photonic topological insulators have emerged as an exciting new platform for backscatter-free waveguiding even in the presence of defects, with applications in robust long-range energy and quantum information transfer, low-threshold lasing, and chiral quantum optics. We demonstrate a design for spin-Hall photonic topological insulators with remarkably low refractive index contrast, enabling the synthesis of photonic topological waveguides from polymeric materials for the first time. Our design is compatible with additive manufacturing methods, including fused filament fabrication, and constitutes the first demonstration of a 3D printed photonic topological insulator. We combine rapid device fabrication through 3D printing with high-speed FDTD simulation to showcase an iterative design cycle capable of screening thousands of device configurations with unprecedented speed. We have identified and experimentally verified a non-intuitive geometry for bent topological waveguides with optimized transmission. Our rapid design cycle represents a powerful new tool set for designing, optimizing, and synthesizing photonic topological materials.