We study nonlinear properties of multilayer metamaterials created by graphene sheets separated by dielectric layers. We demonstrate that such structures can support localized nonlinear modes described by the discrete nonlinear Schr{o}dinger equation and that its solutions are associated with stable discrete plasmon solitons. We also analyze the nonlinear surface modes in truncated graphene metamaterials being a nonlinear analog of surface Tamm states.
Graphene nanoribbons with zigzag terminated edges have a magnetic ground state characterized by edge ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetic inter edge coupling. This broken symmetry state is degenerate in the spin orientation and we show that, associat
ed with this degeneracy, the system has topological solitons. The solitons appear at the interface between degenerate ground states. These solitons are the relevant charge excitations in the system. When charge is added to the nanoribbon, the system energetically prefers to create magnetic domains and accommodate the extra electrons in the interface solitons rather than setting them in the conduction band.
Phase frustration in periodic lattices is responsible for the formation of dispersionless flat bands. The absence of any kinetic energy scale makes flat band physics critically sensitive to perturbations and interactions. We report here on the experi
mental investigation of the nonlinear dynamics of cavity polaritons in the gapped flat band of a one-dimensional Lieb lattice. We observe the formation of gap solitons with quantized size and very abrupt edges, signature of the frozen propagation of switching fronts. This type of gap solitons belongs to the class of truncated Bloch waves, and had only been observed in closed systems up to now. Here the driven-dissipative character of the system gives rise to a complex multistability of the nonlinear domains generated in the flat band. These results open up interesting perspective regarding more complex 2D lattices and the generation of correlated photon phases.
Magnetic metamaterials composed of split-ring resonators or $U-$type elements may exhibit discreteness effects in THz and optical frequencies due to weak coupling. We consider a model one-dimensional metamaterial formed by a discrete array of nonline
ar split-ring resonators with each ring interacting with its nearest neighbours. On-site nonlinearity and weak coupling among the individual array elements result in the appearence of discrete breather excitations or intrinsic localized modes, both in the energy-conserved and the dissipative system. We analyze discrete single and multibreather excitations, as well as a special breather configuration forming a magnetization domain wall and investigate their mobility and the magnetic properties their presence induces in the system.
We investigate the quasi-bound states of a Coulomb impurity in graphene in the presence of a magnetic field. These states exhibit the dramatic and rather rare property of discrete scale invariance when the Coulomb potential is supercritical. We sho
w using both Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) approximation and numerical studies that the supercritical states are converted to subcritical states as the field is increased. The local density of states is calculated and it shows direct signatures of discrete scale invariance. In a magnetic field, these signatures are gradually destroyed in a systematic way. Hence the effect that we propose can be detected via scanning tunneling microscope experiments. The range of magnetic field and energy resolution required are compatible with existing experimental setups. These experiments can be performed in a single sample by changing the field; they do not involve changing the nuclear charge.
Transient optical heating provides an efficient way to trigger phase transitions in naturally occurring media through ultrashort laser pulse irradiation. A similar approach could be used to induce topological phase transitions in the photonic respons
e of suitably engineered artificial structures known as metamaterials. Here, we predict a topological transition in the isofrequency dispersion contours of a layered graphene metamaterial under optical pumping. We show that the contour topology transforms from elliptic to hyperbolic within a subpicosecond timescale by exploiting the extraordinary photothermal properties of graphene. This new phenomenon allows us to theoretically demonstrate applications in engineering the decay rate of proximal optical emitters, ultrafast beam steering, and dynamical far-field subwavelength imaging. Our study opens a disruptive approach toward ultrafast control of light emission, beam steering, and optical image processing.