Floquet topological state induced by light-driven band inversion in SnTe

Article excerpt

Nature Physics, Published online: 25 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-026-03341-0 Floquet engineering could, in principle, induce a topological phase in semiconductors, but clear evidence has been lacking. Now it is shown in SnTe that femtosecond light pulses briefly create a topological state that is absent at equilibrium.