Exotic Topology in Ordinary Soft Matter

Understand

Hydrodynamics is shown to induce non-Hermitian topological phenomena in ordinary, passive soft matter.

• This is demonstrated for the first time by subjecting a 2D elastic lattice to a low-Reynolds viscous flow.
• The interplay of hydrodynamics and elasticity splits Dirac cones into bulk Fermi arcs, pairing exceptional points with opposite half-integer topological charges.
• The bulk Fermi arc is a generic hallmark of the system exhibited in all lattice and flow symmetries.