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Superluminal spacetime crystals induced by anomalous velocity modulation

Prudêncio, F. ; Silveirinha, M. G.

Applied Physics Letters Vol. 128, Nº 24, pp. - , June, 2026.

ISSN (print): 0003-6951
ISSN (online): 1077-3118

Scimago Journal Ranking: 0,86 (in 2025)

Digital Object Identifier: 10.1063/5.0312524

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Abstract
Time-modulated media offer powerful opportunities for controlling light, yet extending such concepts to optical frequencies has remained challenging. Here, we propose a different route to photonic spacetime crystals based on modulation of the anomalous velocity in lowsymmetry conductors, particularly Weyl semimetals. We show that when driven by a strong optical pump, the anomalous velocity of Bloch electrons induces an ultrafast spacetime modulation that propagates with a superluminal phase velocity relative to the dielectric background. This self-induced modulation enables unidirectional light transport below the optical gap and, near the epsilon-near-zero point, gives rise to collective parametric resonance and stimulated emission of volume plasmons. These findings identify Weyl semimetals as a promising platform for realizing optical spacetime crystals and open a pathway toward active and nonreciprocal photonic systems governed by quantum geometric effects.