Reconfigurable topological modes in acoustic non-Hermitian crystals

Non-Hermiticity, usually represented in the context of gain and loss, gives rise to many exotic topological phenomena and offers more opportunities to steering topological functions. In modern acoustics, it has been widely perceived that the topological mode will be altered if topological phase changes. Our work shows otherwise in non-Hermitian acoustic crystals. We experimentally demonstrate an acoustic quadrupole topological insulator, whose topological corner, edge, and bulk modes could be arbitrarily engineered at any desired positions with its topological phase maintained. These non-Hermiticity-controlled topological modes bestow a bulk structure with unique features beyond the classical bulky state, offering a reconfigurable and versatile approach to manipulating topological phenomena. This non-Hermitian scheme can be readily generalized to other topological systems in various dimensions, such as the three-dimensional photonic/phononic lattices, which offer advanced and externally controllable recipes for manipulating topological phenomena.