Maximal Axion Optical Chirality Enabled by Degenerate Quasibound States in the Continuum
Abstract
Axion quasiparticles introduce magnetoelectric coupling in topological materials, yet their optical signatures are intrinsically weak, severely limiting experimental detection and practical exploitation. Here, we demonstrate maximal optical chirality of axion quasiparticles by coupling them with degenerate quasibound states in the continuum (qBICs). By integrating three-dimensional topological insulators (3DTIs) with achiral photonic crystal slabs (PCSs), we reveal that axion quasiparticles induce an effective Zeeman effect that lifts the degeneracy of achiral qBICs in PCSs, splitting them into two nondegenerate high-Q chiral qBICs with maximally opposite chirality. These result in a more than 10^3- and 200-fold increase in the polarization conversion efficiency and Faraday rotation angle, respectively, compared to the intrinsic chiroptical response of bare 3DTI films. Moreover, circular dichroism and nonreciprocal optical responses are revealed as new key signatures for probing axion quasiparticles in 3DTI-PCS coupled systems. Our results provide a definitive route for observing axion quasiparticles and topological physics, while establishing a promising platform for controlling optical polarization, spin, phase, and nonreciprocal responses.
Versions
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BibTeX
@misc{ji2026maximal,
title = {{Maximal Axion Optical Chirality Enabled by Degenerate Quasibound States in the Continuum}},
author = {Chang-Yin Ji and Chong Wang and Jiafang Li and Yugui Yao},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.14611},
eprint = {2610.14611},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.14611},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Maximal Axion Optical Chirality Enabled by Degenerate Quasibound States in the Continuum
AU - Chang-Yin Ji
AU - Chong Wang
AU - Jiafang Li
AU - Yugui Yao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/10
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.14611
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.14611
AB - Axion quasiparticles introduce magnetoelectric coupling in topological materials, yet their optical signatures are intrinsically weak, severely limiting experimental detection and practical exploitation. Here, we demonstrate maximal optical chirality of axion quasiparticles by coupling them with degenerate quasibound states in the continuum (qBICs). By integrating three-dimensional topological insulators (3DTIs) with achiral photonic crystal slabs (PCSs), we reveal that axion quasiparticles induce an effective Zeeman effect that lifts the degeneracy of achiral qBICs in PCSs, splitting them into two nondegenerate high-Q chiral qBICs with maximally opposite chirality. These result in a more than 10^3- and 200-fold increase in the polarization conversion efficiency and Faraday rotation angle, respectively, compared to the intrinsic chiroptical response of bare 3DTI films. Moreover, circular dichroism and nonreciprocal optical responses are revealed as new key signatures for probing axion quasiparticles in 3DTI-PCS coupled systems. Our results provide a definitive route for observing axion quasiparticles and topological physics, while establishing a promising platform for controlling optical polarization, spin, phase, and nonreciprocal responses.
ER -