Fig. 4: Spontaneous symmetry breaking of CSTCs.
From: Space-time crystals from particle-like topological solitons
a, Space-time image of an experimental realization to measure the relative time phase. We first block the driving light with a red colour filter and then calculate the relative time phase with the light signal sequence Ф(t) after a time interval Δt. Scale bars, 10 μm (white); 3 s (yellow). The retardation plate’s slow axis is labelled by the green double arrow and crossed polarizers are shown by black double arrows. b, Normalized light signals captured within a small area versus time from two experimental realizations, which have a time phase difference of about π. c, Experimentally measured distribution of the relative time phases. d, Simulated realization that shows the evolution of the x component of the director after blocking–unblocking the external drive. e, Simulated distribution of relative time phases calculated using the x component of n(r).
