Meron Spin Textures Mediated by Acoustic Phase Singularities

Abstract

Existing acoustic topological textures are predominantly constructed within velocity fields, where the corresponding physical observables typically exhibit harmonic temporal oscillations. In contrast, stationary topological acoustic textures are highly desirable for characterizing topological phenomena and advancing potential applications of topological quasiparticles. Here, we propose a novel framework for topological acoustic spin textures rooted in acoustic spin, and experimentally demonstrate stable acoustic spin meron lattices supported by spoof surface acoustic-wave modes. We show that phase singularities in acoustic standing waves play a pivotal role in the formation of acoustic spin. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the phase differences among distinct groups of standing waves govern the polarization of the emergent topological quasiparticles and enable precise modulation of their intensities. Moreover, the resulting topological spin textures exhibit remarkable robustness against boundary scattering and local structural defects. Our findings establish acoustic spin as a fundamental degree of freedom for engineering topological quasiparticles in acoustics and open a new avenue toward programmable stationary topological acoustic textures.