Physicists uncover the topological origin of surface electromagnetic waves

In work that provides insights for several areas of wave physics -- Maxwell electromagnetism, topological quantum states, and plasmonics/metamaterials -- scientists showed that the well-known surface electromagnetic waves at interfaces between homogeneous isotropic media, obtained within classical Maxwell's electromagnetism, also have a purely topological origin, similar to quantum topological states.

from Top Technology News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2MSSoxy