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In this paper we conceptualize electroacoustic transistors based on topologically protected interface states in a reconfigurable valley-Hall topological insulator. Using piezoelectric media and active shunt circuits, we numerically model the spatial inversion symmetry breaking in a unit cell to produce topological bandgaps. These gaps are known to host robust modes for wave propagation along an interface. We use two such modes to design a transistor where the wave propagation in one topological channel switches on or off a second topological channel between a source and receiver elsewhere in the structure. Multiple such transistors may be combined to develop logic gates. Further, we develop and simulate the behavior of an electronic circuit which enables the transistor action. Our design opens a pathway to novel wave-based devices which may find applications in structure-based computing, as hybrid multiplexers in communication devices, and as structural switches or embedded sensors in robotics and internet of things. 

We propose an electroacoustic transistor enabled by reconfigurable topological insulators (TIs). The underlying structure of the device is a hexagonal lattice with a unit cell consisting of piezoelectric disks bonded to an aluminum substrate. First, we study the dispersion of flexural waves in the reconfigurable TI to identify Dirac cones in the band structure of a unit cell possessing C6v-symmetry. A topological bandgap can be opened by breaking inversion symmetry in the unit cell. This is achieved by altering the elastic response of one of the affixed piezoelectric disks using a negative impedance shunt circuit. Next, we analyze various topological states formed by interfacing mirror-symmetric unit cells. Sublattices with interface states are then combined to construct a transistor supercell which hosts at least two topologically protected channels for wave propagation. The amplitude of an incoming acoustic signal propagating in one of the topological channels, referred to as the ‘Gate’, is used to switch on or off a second topological channel between a wave source and receiver, mimicking the behavior of a field effect transistor in electronics. We employ finite element analysis to study the harmonic response of the transistor structure demonstrating the OFF and ON states of the device. Further, we present a mock-up of an electrical circuit which enables the switching of the topological channel between a wave source and receiver. The design of the proposed wave-based transistor promises the advantage of topological protection and may find applications in wearable devices, edge computing, and sensing in harsh environments. 

Increasing interest in wave propagation in phononic systems and metamaterials motivates the development of experimental designs, measurement techniques, and fabrication methods for use in basic research and classroom demonstrations. The simplest phononic system, the monatomic chain, exhibits rich physics such as dispersion and frequency-domain filtering. However, a limited number of experimental studies showcase monatomic chains for macroscale observation of phonons. Herein, we discuss the design, fabrication, and testing of monatomic lattices as enabled by three-dimensional (3D) printing. Using this widely available technology, we provide design guidelines for realization of a monatomic chain composed of 3D printed serpentine springs and press-fitted cylindrical masses. We also present measurement techniques that record propagating waves and algorithms for the experimental determination of dispersion behavior. 

Originating with the discovery of the quantum Hall effect (QHE) in condensed matter physics, topological order has been receiving increased attention also for classical wave phenomena. Topological protection enables efficient and robust signal transport; mechanical topological insulators (TIs), in particular, are easy to fabricate and exhibit interfacial wave transport with minimal dissipation, even in the presence of sharp edges, defects, or disorder. Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a phononic crystal Floquet TI (FTI). Hexagonal arrays of circular piezoelectric disks bonded to a PLA substrate, shunted through negative electrical capacitance, and manipulated by external integrated circuits, provide the required spatiotemporal modulation scheme to break time-reversal symmetry and impart a synthetic angular momentum bias that can induce strong topological protection on the lattice edges. Our proposed reconfigurable FTI may find applications for robust acoustic emitters and mechanical logic circuits, with distinct advantages over electronic equivalents in harsh operating conditions.