Programmable generation of optical skyrmions on a silicon photonic chip
Abstract
Optical skyrmions, characterized by topologically stable and spatially varying polarization textures, show immense potential for robust optical communications and metrology. However, conventional methods for generating optical Stokes skyrmions rely on bulky free-space optics, strictly constraining both system miniaturization and dynamic reconfigurability. Here, we demonstrate the efficient and programmable generation of optical skyrmions and bimerons using a compact silicon photonic chip. By integrating a programmable Mach--Zehnder interferometer mesh with a multi-dimensional grating emitter, we dynamically control the amplitudes, phases, and polarizations of emitted fundamental and orbital angular momentum modes. This architecture allows on-demand electrical switching among a complete library of optical quasi-particle states, including Néel, Bloch, intermediate, and anti-type skyrmions and bimerons. Experimental full-Stokes polarimetry confirms high-fidelity polarization textures with near-unity skyrmion numbers. Our foundry-compatible platform translates complex topological light generation into simple voltage controls, paving the way for next-generation communication and sensing systems based on optical skyrmions.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhang2026programmable,
title = {{Programmable generation of optical skyrmions on a silicon photonic chip}},
author = {Mingyuan Zhang and Xiaofu Pan and Wu Zhou and Wenzhang Tian and Zengqi Chen and Yiou Cui and Yijie Shen and Yeyu Tong and Jianqi Hu},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2608.29551},
eprint = {2608.29551},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.29551},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Programmable generation of optical skyrmions on a silicon photonic chip
AU - Mingyuan Zhang
AU - Xiaofu Pan
AU - Wu Zhou
AU - Wenzhang Tian
AU - Zengqi Chen
AU - Yiou Cui
AU - Yijie Shen
AU - Yeyu Tong
AU - Jianqi Hu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/30
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2608.29551
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.29551
AB - Optical skyrmions, characterized by topologically stable and spatially varying polarization textures, show immense potential for robust optical communications and metrology. However, conventional methods for generating optical Stokes skyrmions rely on bulky free-space optics, strictly constraining both system miniaturization and dynamic reconfigurability. Here, we demonstrate the efficient and programmable generation of optical skyrmions and bimerons using a compact silicon photonic chip. By integrating a programmable Mach--Zehnder interferometer mesh with a multi-dimensional grating emitter, we dynamically control the amplitudes, phases, and polarizations of emitted fundamental and orbital angular momentum modes. This architecture allows on-demand electrical switching among a complete library of optical quasi-particle states, including Néel, Bloch, intermediate, and anti-type skyrmions and bimerons. Experimental full-Stokes polarimetry confirms high-fidelity polarization textures with near-unity skyrmion numbers. Our foundry-compatible platform translates complex topological light generation into simple voltage controls, paving the way for next-generation communication and sensing systems based on optical skyrmions.
ER -