Probing band topology using modulational instability

Abstract: We analyze the modulational instability of nonlinear Bloch waves in topological photonic lattices. In the initial phase of the instability development captured by the linear stability analysis, long wavelength instabilities and bifurcations of the nonlinear Bloch waves are sensitive to topological band inversions. At longer timescales, nonlinear wave mixing induces spreading of energy through the entire band and spontaneous creation of wave polarization singularities determined by the band Chern number. Our analytical and numerical results establish modulational instability as a tool to probe bulk topological invariants and create topologically non-trivial wave fields.