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    Hybrid Topological Euler and Stiefel-Whitney Phases in Elastic Metamaterials

    Jijie Tang1,*, Adrien Bouhon2,3,*, Yue Shen4, Kailun Wang4, Junrong Feng1, Feng Li1,†, Di Zhou1,‡, Robert-Jan Slager3,5,§, and Ying Wu4,∥

    • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
    • †Contact author: phlifeng@bit.edu.cn
    • ‡Contact author: dizhou@bit.edu.cn
    • §Contact author: robert-jan.slager@manchester.ac.uk
    • ∥Contact author: yingwu@njust.edu.cn

    Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 236602 – Published 2 December, 2025

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ycnn-5ptf

    Abstract

    Recent advances in multigap topological phases—characterized by invariants like Euler and second Stiefel-Whitney classes across multiband subspaces—highlight their dependence on non-Abelian braiding of momentum-space band degeneracies in adjacent gaps. Here, we theoretically predict and experimentally demonstrate that two of such topological phases can coexist within a single system using vectorial elastic waves. The inherent coupling between different polarization modes enables non-Abelian braiding of nodal points of multiple energy band gaps and results in hybrid Euler and Stiefel-Whitney topological insulator phases. We furthermore unveil the central role played by the topologically stable Goldstone modes’ degeneracy. Our findings represent the first realization of hybrid phases in vectorial fields exhibiting topologically nontrivial Goldstone modes, paving the way for bifunctional applications that leverage the hybrid topological edge and corner states.

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