Valley topological photonic crystals (TPCs), which are robust against local disorders and structural defects, have attracted great research interest, from theoretical verification to technical applications. However, previous works mostly focused on the robustness of topologically protected edge states and little attention was paid to the importance of the photonic bandgaps (PBGs), which hinders the implementation of various multifrequency functional topological photonic devices. Here, by systematically studying the relationship between the degree of symmetry breaking and the working bandwidth of the edge states, we present spoof surface plasmon polariton valley TPCs with broadband edge states and engineered PBGs, where the operation frequency is easy to adjust. Furthermore, by connecting valley TPCs operating at different frequencies, a broadband multifunctional frequency-dependent topological photonic device with selectively directional light transmission is fabricated and experimentally demonstrated, achieving the functions of wavelength division multiplexing and add–drop multiplexing. We provide an effective and insightful method for building multi-frequency topological photonic devices.

Hall effect of light is a result of symmetry breaking in spin and/or orbital angular momentum (OAM) possessing optical system and is caused by e.g. refractive index gradient/interface between media or focusing of a spatially asymmetrical beam, similar to the electric field breaking the symmetry in spin Hall effect for electrons. The angular momentum (AM) conservation law in the ensuing asymmetric system dictates redistribution of spin and orbital angular momentum, and is manifested in spin-orbit, orbit-orbit, and orbit-spin conversions and reorganization, i.e. spin-orbit and orbit-orbit interaction. This AM restructuring in turn requires shifts of the barycenter of the electric field of light. In the present study we show, both analytically and by numerical simulation, how different electric field components are displaced upon tight focusing of an asymmetric light beam having OAM and spin. The relation between field components shifts and the AM components shifts/redistribution is presented too. Moreover, we experimentally demonstrate, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the spin-orbit Hall effect of light upon tight focusing in free space. This is achieved using azopolymers as a media detecting longitudinal or z component of the electrical field of light. These findings elucidate the Hall effect of light and may broaden the spectrum of its applications.

Compact terahertz (THz) devices, especially for nonlinear THz components, have received more and more attention due to their potential applications in THz nonlinearity-based sensing, communications, and computing devices. However, effective means to enhance, control, and confine the nonlinear harmonics of THz waves remain a great challenge for micro-scale THz nonlinear devices. In this work, we have established a technique for nonlinear harmonic generation of THz waves based on phonon polariton-enhanced giant THz nonlinearity in a 2D-topologically protected valley photonic microcavity. Effective THz harmonic generation has been observed in both noncentrosymmetric and centrosymmetric nonlinear materials. These results can provide a valuable reference for the generation and control of THz high-harmonics, thus developing new nonlinear devices in the THz regime.

The emerging two-dimensional materials, particularly transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), are known to exhibit valley degree of freedom with long valley lifetime, which hold great promises in the implementation of valleytronic devices. Especially, light–valley interactions have attracted attentions in these systems, as the electrical generation of valley magnetization can be readily achieved — a rather different route toward magnetoelectric (ME) effect as compared to that from conventional electron spins. However, so far, the moiré patterns constructed with twisted bilayer TMDs remain largely unexplored in regard of their valley spin polarizations, even though the symmetry might be distinct from the AB stacked bilayer TMDs. Here, we study the valley Hall effect (VHE) in 40°-twisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown WS₂ moiré transistors, using optical Kerr rotation measurements at 20 K. We observe a clear gate tunable spatial distribution of the valley carrier imbalance induced by the VHE when a current is exerted in the system.The emerging two-dimensional materials, particularly transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), are known to exhibit valley degree of freedom with long valley lifetime, which hold great promises in the implementation of valleytronic devices. Especially, light–valley interactions have attracted attentions in these systems, as the electrical generation of valley magnetization can be readily achieved — a rather different route toward magnetoelectric (ME) effect as compared to that from conventional electron spins. However, so far, the moiré patterns constructed with twisted bilayer TMDs remain largely unexplored in regard of their valley spin polarizations, even though the symmetry might be distinct from the AB stacked bilayer TMDs. Here, we study the valley Hall effect (VHE) in 40°-twisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown WS₂ moiré transistors, using optical Kerr rotation measurements at 20 K. We observe a clear gate tunable spatial distribution of the valley carrier imbalance induced by the VHE when a current is exerted in the system.