Chirality-induced phonon spin selectivity by elastic spin–orbit interaction

Spin and orbital degrees of freedom are crucial in not only fundamental particles but also classical waves such as optical systems, wherein the spin–orbit interaction (SOI) of light provides new perspectives for manipulating electromagnetic waves. Elastic waves possess similar spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM). However, the elastic counterpart of SOI remains unexplored, even for ubiquitous elastic waveguides (WG). Here, we demonstrate the existence of elastic SOI in helical WG. We prove that the torsion and curvature of helical WG induces synthetic gauge potentials in describing the elastic vibrations. Through analytical theory and simulations, we unveil the interplay among elastic SAM, intrinsic OAM, and extrinsic OAM, impacted by the elastic SOI. Importantly, results show that elastic SOI can introduce the Chirality-Induced Phonon Spin Selectivity. These findings advance our understanding of angular momentum physics in elastic waves and enable practical strategies for wave manipulation.