Room-temperature topological polariton laser in an organic lattice

Interacting bosonic particles in artificial lattices have proven to be a powerful tool for the investigation of exotic phases of matter as well as phenomena resulting from nontrivial topology. Exciton-polaritons, bosonic quasi-particles of light and matter, have been shown to combine the on-chip benefits of optical systems with strong interactions, inherited from their matter character. Technologically significant semiconductor platforms strictly require cryogenic temperatures. In this communication, we demonstrate exciton-polariton lasing for topological defects emerging from the imprinted lattice structure at room temperature. We utilize red fluorescent protein derived from DsRed of Discosoma sea anemones, hosting highly stable Frenkel excitons. Using a patterned mirror cavity, we tune the lattice potential landscape of a linear Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain to design topological defects at domain boundaries and at the edge. We unequivocally demonstrate polariton lasing from these topological defects. This progress has paved the road to interacting boson many-body physics under ambient conditions.