Topological Euler Class as a Dynamical Observable in Optical Lattices*

The last years have witnessed rapid progress in the topological characterization of out-of-equilibrium systems. We report on robust signatures of a new type of topology—the Euler class—in such a dynamical setting [1]. The enigmatic invariant (ξ) falls outside conventional symmetry-eigenvalue indicated phases and, in simplest incarnation, is described by triples of bands that comprise a gapless pair featuring 2ξ stable band nodes, and a gapped band. These nodes host non-Abelian charges and can be further undone by converting their charge upon intricate braiding mechanisms, revealing that Euler class is a fragile topology. We demonstrate that quenching with nontrivial Euler Hamiltonian results in stable monopole-antimonopole pairs, which in turn induce a linking of momentum-time trajectories under the first Hopf map, making the invariant experimentally observable. Our results provide a basis for exploring new topologies and their interplay with crystalline symmetries in optical lattices beyond paradigmatic Chern insulators.

[1] Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 053601 (2020).