Singularities of open systems, known as exceptional points (EPs), have been shown to exhibit increased sensitivities, but the observation of EPs has so far been limited to wavelength-scaled systems subject to the diffraction limit. We propose a novel approach to EPs based on spatial symmetry breaking and report their observation in plasmonics at room temperature. Their utility as sensors of anti-immunoglobulin G, the most abundant immunoglobulin isotype in human serum, is evaluated. Our work opens the way to a new class of nanoscale devices, sensors and imagers based on topological polaritonic effects.

Resonant cavities that confine light are crucial components of lasers. Typically, these cavities are designed to high specification to get the best possible output. That, however, can limit their integration into photonic devices and optical circuits. The confinement of light to topologically protected edge states can result in unidirectional propagation and confinement over arbitrary geometries. Relaxing the resonant cavity design criteria should be useful in designing photonic devices.

In 1929, only three years after the advent of quantum mechanics, von Neumann and Wigner showed that Schrödinger’s equation can have bound states above the continuum threshold. These peculiar states, called bound states in the continuum (BICs), manifest themselves as resonances that do not decay. Here we report, at room temperature, lasing action from an optically pumped BIC cavity. BIC lasers open up new avenues in the study of light–matter interaction because they are intrinsically connected to topological charges and represent natural vector beam sources which are highly sought after in the fields of optical trapping, biological sensing and quantum information.