# gst: apropos of degeneration, the topological degeneracy induced by twisting.

<< In recent years, twisting has emerged as a new degree of freedom that plays an increasingly important role in Bloch bands of various physical systems. However, there is currently a lack of reports on the nontrivial physics of topological degeneracy in twisted systems. >>

AA << investigated the intrinsic physical correlation between twisting and topological degeneracy. (They) found that twisting not only breaks the symmetry of the system but also introduces topological degeneracy that does not exist under the original symmetric system without twisting. >>

<< Furthermore, the topological degeneracy can be easily tuned through twisting. This new twist-induced topological degeneracy gives rise to a unique polarization-degenerate birefringent medium, wherein the twist angle acts as a novel degree of freedom for dispersion and polarization management of interface states. >> 

<< Exhibiting fascinating properties and experimental feasibilities, (AA) Letter points to new possibilities in the research of various topological physics in twisted photonics. >>️

Han Peng, Qiang Wang, et al. Topological degeneracy induced by twisting. Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 106601. Mar 11, 2025.

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.106601   arXiv: 2503.09048v1 [physics.optics]. https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.09048  

Also: degeneration, in FonT https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=degeneration   twisting, twist, in FonT   https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=twisting    https://flashontrack.blogspot.com/search?q=twist 

Keywords: gst, degeneration, twisting 

# gst: nano entities that are both twisted and untwisted at the same time

<< Scientists who study the nanoscale-with molecules and materials 10,000 smaller than a pinhead-need to be able to test the way that some molecules twist, known as their chirality, because mirror image molecules with the same structure can have very different properties. >>

<< Recently, a new class of nanoscale materials have been developed to help distinguish the chirality of molecules. These so-called 'nanomaterials' usually consist of tiny twisted metal wires, that are chiral themselves. However, it has become very hard to distinguish the twist of the nanomaterials from the twist of the molecules they are supposed to help study. >>

To solve this problem AA << created a nanomaterial that is both twisted and it is not. This nanomaterial has equal number of opposite twists—meaning they cancel each other out.  >>

<< Using a mathematical analysis of the material's symmetry properties, the team discovered a few special cases, which can bring the 'hidden' twist to light and allow very sensitive detection of chirality in molecules. >>

Chris Melvin. Scientists create a nanomaterial that is both twisted and untwisted at the same time. University of Bath. Sep 13, 2019   https://m.phys.org/news/2019-09-scientists-nanomaterial-untwisted.html  

Christian Kuppe,  Xuezhi Zheng, et al. Measuring optical activity in the far-field from a racemic nanomaterial: diffraction spectroscopy from plasmonic nanogratings. Nanoscale Horizons.  Issue 5, 2019.  doi: 10.1039/C9NH00067D.   https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2019/NH/C9NH00067D