The main focus lies on the development of basic tools and methods to create topological order in atomic and photonic matter as an alternative approach to control and protect quantum states.

The main experimental focus will be on Floquet-topological systems, where topological order is induced by time-periodic driving. In addition theoretical work will focus on topology in systems coupled to Markovian reservoirs which will lay the ground for the ultimate goal  of combining topological protection with open-system control as developed in research areas A and B. Our goal is to elevate topological protection to a new level that includes robustness to losses and decoherence.