NANOSCALE MOLECULAR AND IMUNO-ASSAY SENSING USING SYMMETRY-BREAKING-INDUCED PLASMONIC EXCEPTIONAL POINTS
A method for detecting an analyte includes providing a sensor that includes a plurality of coupled polaritonic structures having polaritonic resonances. A surface of at least one of the polaritonic structure in the sensor is functionalized by providing a receptor for binding the analyte to the surface. The sensor is operated at an exceptional point (EP). The presence of the analyte on the surface is identified when a degeneracy of resonant frequencies and linewidths is lifted and a splitting of the resonant frequencies and linewidths occurs.