https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210122102017.htm

The team, led by professors Gaurav Bahl and Taylor Hughes, studied artificial materials, or metamaterials, which they engineered to include defects. The team used these customizable circuits as a proxy for studying exotic topological crystals, which are often imperfect, difficult to synthesize, and notoriously tricky to probe directly. In a new study, published in the January 20th issue of Nature, the researchers showed that defects and structural deformations can provide insights into a real material's hidden topological features.

"Most studies in this field have focused on materials with perfect internal structure. Our team wanted to see what happens when we account for imperfections. We were surprised to discover that we could actually use defects to our advantage," said Bahl, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering. With that unexpected assist, the team has created a practical and systematic approach for exploring the topology of unconventional materials.