Hybrid-order nonlinear topological phases

Abstract

The bulk-boundary correspondence (BBC), which relates topological invariants to boundary modes, is well understood for linear systems but remains an open question in the presence of nonlinearity, where multigap topologies make the BBC obscure and the topological description troublesome. We address this by developing an auxiliary-system formalism that enables topological classification of nonlinear-eigenvalue systems. In the two-dimension (2D) case, we show that two fixed eigenvalues can harbor first-order gapless boundary modes and second-order corner modes. Stacking this 2D system along the third dimension (3D) reveals distinct hybrid-order realizations. Under uniform stacking, the corner states in the $xy$ plane transform into hinge states along the $z$ axis, yielding a 3D second-order phase, while the gapless boundary states become side-surface states, yielding a 3D first-order phase. For dimerized stacking, these states are further confined to the two ends of the $z$ axis, yielding a 3D third-order phase, and localized at the hinges, yielding a 3D second-order phase. Our results establish a multiband bulk-boundary correspondence and identify stacking engineering as a versatile platform for exploring hybrid-order topological phases in nonlinear systems.