ArXiv · 2026
Gauge fields are fundamental to modern physics, but prescribed gauge configurations are often difficult to implement in artificial systems. Here, we present a general scheme for realizing arbitrary static O(N) lattice gauge configurations using symmetry-protected zero modes of sublattice-imbalanced bipartite units. The target O(N) link on each bond is encoded in the connectivity and strengths of positive microscopic couplings. By decoupling the zero-mode manifold from the remaining modes, the target gauge Hamiltonian forms an exact spectral block of the microscopic tight-binding model rather than a perturbative approximation. We experimentally demonstrate this framework in acoustic crystals through a Z₂ quadrupole topological insulator, an SO(2) Hofstadter model, and an SO(3) non-Abelian topological insulator. Our results provide a general and accessible route to gauge-field physics in artificial systems.
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