Topological laser in a two-dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger lattice with artificial gauge flux

Abstract: Topological lasers, known for their robustness and unique features originating from nontrivial topology, have recently become a focal point of research in photonics. In this work, we propose a topological laser based on two-dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger photonic lattices as induced by artificial gauge flux insertion. The underlying effect, called the topological Wannier cycles, is characterized by topological local modes with continuously tunable frequency and orbital angular momentum emerging in two photonic band gaps. These topological local modes enable single-mode large-area lasing in each photonic band gap with both topological robustness and exceptional tunability in frequency and OAM properties, setting a notable contrast with previous topological lasers. We further discuss both localized and extended artificial gauge flux insertion and compare their properties. We find that extended gauge flux achieves significantly higher laser output intensity and larger single-mode area under laser-gain conditions, outperforming the local gauge flux configuration in both output intensity and resilience against disorders. We also elucidate the precise mechanisms by which nonlinear gain and gauge flux govern the photon dynamics in various regimes. These results provide crucial theoretical insights for OAM control in topological lasers and pave the way for advancements in high precision engineering of lasers and optical systems.