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Constraining the Abelian Chern-Simons density F ∧ F = 0drives QED into a topology-locked vacuum where the gaugefield follows a golden-ratio logarithmic spiral. A BRST-exactinflow term renders this background physical and endows thephoton with a radiatively exact mass mγ = mec2/(2πφ4) =5)/2), while preserving its purely trans- verse wave character. Algebraic renormalisation proves mγ is protected to all perturbative orders. Fixing the spiral’s core radius to the electron Compton wavelength minimises the he- licity functional, making the mechanism parameter-free. The modified Coulomb potential shifts only quadratically, evading classic static bounds. Belle II and NA64++ can test missing- energy signals, while stellar-cooling and FRB limits are sub- dominant. An SU(3) analogue reproduces constituent-quark masses without upsetting confinement, turning the 5.9 keVprediction into an imminent test.