Abstract
We employ the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model in elastic poly-mer waveguide arrays to design and realize traveling topo-logically protected modes. The observed delocalization of the optical field for superluminal defect velocities agrees well with theoretical descriptions. We apply mechanical strain to modulate the lattices' coupling coefficient. This work demonstrates a novel, to the best of our knowledge, plat-form for rapid prototyping of topological photonic devices and establishes strain-tuning as a viable design parameter for topological waveguide arrays. (c) 2022 Optica Publishing Group