Facile preparation of Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanospheres and its application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

In this paper, an Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanostructure was obtained by using SiO₂ nanospheres as sacrificial templates. The nanostructure was fabricated via a three steps method. SiO₂@Au nanospheres were first synthesized by the layer-by-layer technique, and then they were coated with a layer of Ag particles, finally, the Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanospheres were obtained by dissolution of the SiO₂ core by exposure in HF solution. Several characterizations, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and UV visible absorption spectroscopy were used to investigate the prepared nanostructures. The effectiveness of these Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanospheres as substrates toward surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection was evaluated by using rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a probe molecule. We show that such Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanospheres structure films which consisting of larger interconnected aggregates are highly desirable as SERS substrates in terms of high Raman intensity enhancement. The Au/Ag bimetallic hollow nanostructured aggregate, interconnected nanostructured aggregate and nanoscale roughness are important factors responsible for this large SERS enhancement ability.     

Large‐area Ag nanorod array substrates for SERS: AAO template‐assisted fabrication,functionalization, and application in detection PCBs

Highly ordered arrays of thiolated β‐cyclodextrin (HS‐β‐CD) functionalized Ag‐nanorods (Ag‐NRs) with plasmonic antennae enhancement of electrical field have been achieved for encapsulation and rapid detection of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The large‐area ordered arrays of rigid Ag‐NRs supported on copper base were fabricated via porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template‐assisted electrochemical deposition. The inter‐nanorod gaps between the neighboring Ag‐NRs were tuned to sub‐10 nm by thinning the pore‐wall thickness of the AAO template using diluted H₃PO₄. The nearly perfect large‐area ordered arrays of Ag‐NRs supported on copper base render these systems excellent in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance with uniform electric field enhancement, as testified by the SERS spectra and Raman mappings of rhodamine 6 G. Furthermore, the Ag‐NRs were functionalized with HS‐β‐CD molecules so as to capture the apolar PCB molecules in the hydrophobic cavity of the CD. Compared to the ordinary undecorated SERS substrates, the HS‐β‐CD modified Ag‐NR arrays exhibit better capture ability and higher sensitivity in rapid detection of PCBs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Near‐infrared surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NIR‐SERS) studies on oxyheamoglobin (OxyHb) of liver cancer based on PVA‐Ag nanofilm

A near‐infrared surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (NIR‐SERS) method was employed for oxyheamoglobin (OxyHb) detection to develop a simple blood test for liver cancer detection. Polyvinyl alcohol protected silver nanofilm (PVA‐Ag nanofilm) used as the NIR‐SERS active substrate to enhance the Raman scattering signals of OxyHb. High quality NIR‐SERS spectrum from OxyHb adsorbed on PVA‐Ag nanofilm can be obtained within 16 s using a portable Raman spectrometer. NIR‐SERS measurements were performed on OxyHb samples of healthy volunteers (control subjects, n = 30), patients (n = 40) with confirmed liver cancer (stage I, II and III) and the liver cancer patients after surgery (n = 30). Meanwhile, the tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured NIR‐SERS spectra were performed, and the results suggested cancer specific changes on molecule level, including a decrease in the relative concentrations and the percentage of aromatic amino acids of OxyHb, changes of the vibration modes of the C_aH_m group and pyrrole ring of OxyHb of liver cancer patients. In this paper, principal component analysis (PCA) combined with independent sample T test analysis of the measured NIR‐SERS spectra separated the spectral features of the two groups into two distinct clusters with the sensitivity of 95.0% and the specificity of 85.7%. Meanwhile, the recovery situations of the liver cancer patients after surgery were also assessed using the method of discriminant analysis‐predicting group membership based on PCA. The results show that 26.7% surgeried liver cancer patients were distinguished as the normal subjects and 63.3% were distinguished into the cancer. Our study demonstrated great potentials for developing NIR‐SERS OxyHb analysis into a novel clinical tool for non‐invasive detection of liver cancers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanogaps in 2D Ag‐nanocap arrays for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering substrate of Ag–Ag nanocap arrays are prepared by depositing Ag film onto two‐dimensional (2D) polystyrene colloidal nanosphere templates. When the original colloidal arrays are used as the substrate for Ag deposition, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancements show the strong size‐dependence behaviours. When O₂‐plasma etched 2D polystyrene templates are used as the substrate for Ag deposition to form nanogaps, the gap sizes between adjacent Ag nanocaps from 5 to 20 nm generate even greater SERS enhancements. When SiO₂ coverage is deposited to isolate the Ag nanocaps from the neighbours, the SERS signals are enhanced more. The significant SERS effects are due to the coupling between Ag nanocaps controlled by the distance, which enhances the local electric‐field intensity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparative study of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering from silver‐coated anodic aluminum oxide and porous silicon

Three types of Ag‐coated arrays from porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) were prepared and studied as substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). They were compared with Ag‐coated porous silicon (PSi) samples. AAO‐based substrates were prepared by the vapor deposition of silver directly onto the surface of porous AAO with different morphologies of the pores, whereas SERS‐active island films on the PSi were prepared by immersion plating. The resulting metallic nanostructures were characterized by UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal evaporation leads to the formation of granular arrays of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of AAO. SERS activity of the substrates was tested using water‐soluble cationic Zn(II)‐tetrakis (4‐N‐methylpyridyl) porphyrin (ZnTMPyP4) as a probe molecule. The results indicate that all AAO‐based substrates studied here exhibit some degree of SERS activity. Noteworthy, for excitation at 532 nm, signals from AAO‐based substrates were comparable with those from the PSi‐based ones, whereas for 441.6 nm excitation they were about twice higher. The strongest SERS‐enhancement at 441.6 nm excitationwas provided by the AAO substrates with silver deposited on the monolith (originally nonporous) side of AAO. Preferential SERS‐enhancement of the bands ascribed to the vibrations of the N‐methylpyridinium group of ZnTMPyP4 when going to blue excitation was found. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved self‐assembly gold colloid film as surface‐enhanced Raman substrate for detection of trace‐level polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous solution

To detect trace‐level polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some investigations of an improved self‐assembly method are carried out using gold colloid films for the preparation of the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)‐active substrate. Extinction spectra and scanning electron microscopy images reveal that controllable surface plasmonic metal substrates can be obtained by increasing the temperature of (3‐aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane solution up to 64.5 °C. The SERS‐active substrates have a high enhancement factor, and they can be both easily prepared and reproducible. With the use of these substrates, different concentrations of pyrene and anthracene in aqueous solutions were detected by SERS. A further enhancement can be supported by shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy. Raman signals of pyrene and anthracene adsorbed on gold colloid substrates up to limits of detection at 5 and 1 nmol/l, respectively, can be obtained. The quantitative analysis shows the possibility of in situ detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons while such gold colloid film serves as a SERS‐active substrate. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental parameters for the SERS of nitrate ion for label‐free semi‐quantitative detection of proteins and mechanism for proteins to form SERS hot sites: a SERS study

We have explored the effects of the experimental parameters on the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensities of NO₃⁻ and proteins observed by a heat‐induced SERS method developed by our group. The results have shown that a strong SERS signal can be obtained at pH 4.0, using an Ag colloid prepared with the reduction time of 15 min (the average size of Ag nanoparticle is 56.5 nm) dilution prepared Ag colloid by a factor of 2 by use of a 5 mM citrate buffer, using 6 mM NaNO₃ and drying the sample at 100 °C, respectively. Based on the results, two possible mechanisms for proteins to form SERS hot sites during the sample preparations are proposed. A semi‐quantitative SERS detection of ribonuclease B has been investigated. Also, NaNO₂, Mg (NO₃)₂, MgSO₄ and Na₂SO₄ have been found to be suitable for the heat‐induced SERS method. Importantly, samples prepared by the heat‐induced SERS method are so stable that these samples can be used as a standard and transferred to different laboratories for direct comparison. Namely, it can overcome uncontrollable aggregation of Ag colloids in a solution sample. All these advantages and the simplicity of experimental setup have demonstrated that the heat‐induced SERS method using NaNO₃ as an electrolyte is very promising for label‐free routine and quantitative detection of proteins. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering‐based approach for DNA detection at low concentrations via polyvinyl alcohol‐protected silver grasslike patterns

A simple method is demonstrated to detect DNA at low concentrations on the basis of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) via polyvinyl alcohol‐protected silver grasslike patterns (PVA‐Ag GPs) grown on the surface of the common Al substrate. By the SERS measurements of sodium citrate and thymine, the PVA‐Ag GPs are shown to be an excellent SERS substrate with good activity, stability and reproducibility. With the use of the tested molecule of thymine, the enhancement factor of the PVA‐Ag GPs is up to ~1.4 × 10⁸. The PVA‐Ag GPs are also shown to be an excellent SERS substrate with good biocompatibility for DNA detection, and the detection limit is down to ~10⁻⁵ mg/g. Meanwhile, the assignations of the Raman bands and the adsorption behaviors of the DNA molecules are also analyzed. In this work, the geometry optimization and the wavenumber analysis of adenine–Ag and guanine–Ag complexes for the ground states are performed using density functional theory, B3LYP functional and the LanL2DZ basis set. The transition energies and the oscillator strengths of adenine–Ag and guanine–Ag for the lowest six singlet excited states were calculated by using the time‐dependent density functional theory method with the same functional and basis set. The results show that the charge transfer in the adenine–Ag and guanine–Ag complexes should be the chemical factor for the SERS of the DNA molecules. Lastly, this method may be employed in large‐scale preparation of substrates that have been widely applied in the Raman analysis of DNA because the fabrication process is simple and inexpensive. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved performances on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering based on electrochemically roughened gold substrates modified with SiO2 nanoparticles

In this work, we use electrochemical oxidation–reduction cycles (ORC) methods to prepare surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)‐active gold substrates modified with SiO₂ nanoparticles to improve the corresponding SERS performances. Based on the modified substrates, the SERS of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) exhibits a higher intensity by 3‐fold of magnitude, as compared with that of R6G adsorbed on a SERS‐active Au substrate without the modification of SiO₂ nanoparticles. Moreover, the SERS enhancement capabilities of the modified and the unmodified Au substrates are seriously destroyed at temperatures higher than 250 and 200 °C, respectively. These results indicate that the modification of SiO₂ nanoparticles can improve the thermal stability of SERS‐active substrates. The aging in SERS intensity is also depressed on this modified Au substrate due to the contribution of SiO₂ nanoparticles to SERS effects. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanoporous Ag–GaN thin films prepared by metal‐assisted electroless etching and deposition as three‐dimensional substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering

Three‐dimensional (3D) nanoporous gallium nitride (PGaN) scaffolds are fabricated by Pt‐assisted electroless hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching of crystalline GaN followed by in situ electroless deposition of Ag nanostructures onto the interior surfaces of the nanopores, yielding a large surface area substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The resulting 3D SERS‐active substrates have been optimized by varying reaction parameters and starting material concentration, exhibiting enhanced Raman signals 10–100× more intense than either (1) sputtered Ag‐coated porous GaN or (2) Ag‐coated planar GaN. The increase in SERS signal is attributed to a combination of the large surface area and the inherent transparency of PGaN in the visible spectral region. Overall, Ag‐decorated PGaN is a promising platform for high sensitivity SERS detection and chemical analysis, particularly for reaction and metabolic products that can be trapped inside the highly anisotropic nanoscale pores of PGaN. The potential of this sampling mode is illustrated by the ability to acquire Raman spectra of adenine down to 5 fmol. Additionally, correlated SERS and laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry spectra can be acquired from same sample spot without further preparation, opening new possibilities for the investigation of surface‐bound molecules with substantially enhanced information content. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SERS detection of proteins on micropatterned protein‐mediated sandwich substrates

One of the greatest challenges in developing protein chips is the detection of trace amounts of proteins on their surfaces. Traditionally employed techniques, such as optical microscopy and fluorescence, are effective and widely used, but it is sometimes hard to obtain fingerprint signals of biomolecules. In this paper, we use surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy as a platform for protein detection. Micropatterned protein‐mediated Au/Ag sandwich structures were employed as the detecting objects. Two types of proteins, pure hemoprotein and immunocomplex, were used as the media. Au/Ag layers were used as the SERS substrates. The resulting spectra showed good sensitivity and resolution. It indicates that SERS is a powerful tool in protein detection and has great potential for application in protein chips. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Theoretical elucidation of the origin of surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of PCB52 adsorbed on silver substrates

To better understand experimentally observed surface‐enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) adsorbed on nanoscaled silver substrates, a systematic theoretical study was performed by carrying out density functional theory and time‐dependent density functional theory calculations. 2,2′,5,5′‐tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB52) was chosen as a model molecule of PCBs, and Ag_n (n = 2, 4, 6, and 10) clusters were used to mimic active sites of substrates. Calculated normal Raman spectra of PCB52–Ag_n (n = 2, 4, 6, and 10) complexes are analogical in profile to that of isolated PCB52 with only slightly enhanced intensity. In contrast, the corresponding SERS spectra calculated at adopted incident light are strongly enhanced, and the calculated enhancement factors are 10⁴ ~ 10⁵. Thus, the experimentally observed SERS phenomenon of PCBs supported on Ag substrates should correspond to the SERS spectra rather than the normal Raman spectra. The dominant enhancement in Raman intensities origins from the charge transfer resonance enhancement between the molecule and clusters. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Induced SERS activity in Ag@SiO2/Ag core‐shell nanosphere arrays with tunable interior insulator

In this work, we demonstrated a bottom‐up growth of Ag@SiO₂/Ag core‐shell nanosphere arrays with tunable SiO₂ interior insulator and the optimized surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on a nanostructure performed with both high sensitivity and large‐area uniformity. Their morphological, structural, and optical properties were characterized, and the induced SERS activities were investigated theoretically by the FDTD simulation and experimentally using analyte molecules. An ultrathin SiO₂ shell with tunable thickness can be synthesized pinhole‐free by a chemical vapor deposition, working as an interior insulator between the Ag core and Ag out‐layer coating. A detection limit as low as 10⁻¹² M and an enhancement factor up to 3 × 10⁷ were obtained, and the SERS signal was highly reproducible with small standard deviation. The method opened up a way to create a new class of SERS activity sensor with high‐density ‘hot spots’, and it may play an important role in device design and the corresponding biological and food safety monitoring applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption of neurotensin‐family peptides on SERS‐active Ag substrates

Kinetensin (KN) and its amino acids 1–8 fragment ([des‐Leu⁹]KN), neuromedin N (NMN), and xenopsin (XP) and its two analogs (XP‐1 and XP‐2) belong to the neurotensin family of peptides and are known to stimulate the growth of human tumors. In this work, we report Fourier transform‐Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of these peptides and discuss their structures, orientation, and mode of adsorption onto a highly specific, electrochemically roughened SERS‐active Ag electrode that is characterized by the formation of a 50–150 nm Ag island on its surface. We show that the investigated peptides bind preferentially to this surface by substantial electronic overlap between the metal surface and the π‐orbitals of the benzene rings of the Phe, Tyr, and Trp residues, which forces them to take parallel or almost parallel orientations with respect to the surface. In addition, the –CH₂–, –CNH₂, and –COO^‐ molecular fragments are involved in interactions with (binding to or in close proximity with) the Ag surface. The SERS data show that the adsorption modes in each of these cases are very similar. In addition, we show that the specific differences in the amino acid sequences do not significantly affect the orientation of the investigated peptides on the Ag substrate. This result implies that the N‐termini of the neurotensin‐family peptides do not influence the mode for adsorption onto the Ag substrates. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Biocompatible gold/silver nanostars for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering

Raman‐enhancing properties of chitosan (CS)‐coated gold/silver nanostars (Au/AgNSs) were demonstrated by using them as a surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probe. Based on the energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy element distribution maps and highly enhanced SERS spectra, we suggest that the incorporation of silver into the NS tips leads to a stronger SERS behavior. The SERS spectra of the proteins adsorbed on the NS surface greatly differ from their respective Raman spectra in both the band positions and relative intensities, indicating that the protein molecules penetrate through the CS coating layer and interact closely with the NS surface. Raman and SERS spectra of Chlamydia trachomatis protease/proteasomelike activity factor are reported for the first time, demonstrating the potential of these NSs for the development of a diagnosis method for Chlamydia based on SERS. The results showed a good SERS performance of the Au/AgNSs and their potential for SERS detection of biomolecules. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering investigations on silver nanoparticles deposited on alumina and titania nanotubes: influence of the substrate material on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering activity of Ag nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles deposited on various ‘inert’ porous materials (mainly Al₂O₃ and TiO₂) are often used as substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements. In this study, we used the sputter deposition technique to cover tubular arrays of Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ with Ag nanoparticles. Raman spectra of pyridine (as a probe molecule) and of two selected dyes (5‐(4‐dimethylaminobenzylidene)rhodanine and 5‐(4‐(dimethylamino)benzylidene)‐3‐(3‐methoxypropyl)rhodanine) adsorbed on fabricated Ag/TiO₂‐n/Ti and Ag/Al₂O₃‐n/Al substrates were measured. We found that the SERS spectra of pyridine adsorbed on Ag nanoparticles deposited on an Al₂O₃‐n/Al substrate are distinctly different from those measured for an Ag/TiO₂‐n/Ti composite. Similar effects were observed for dyes adsorbed on the surface of both composites. The spectral differences between two kinds of composites (Ag/TiO₂‐n/Ti and Ag/Al₂O₃‐n/Al) are discussed in terms of (1) the modified electronic structure of the Ag nanoparticles due to their interaction with different substrate materials and (2) the different atomic topology of the metal particles thus deposited on the surfaces of the substrates. Composite samples were also studied with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) to reveal their characteristic morphological and chemical features. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Potential‐induced Raman behavior of individual (R)‐di‐2‐naphthylprolinol molecules on a Ag‐modified Ag electrode

The applicability of surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy is demonstrated to probe the adsorption behavior of individual molecules on a Ag electrode. High‐quality SERS spectra of (R)‐di‐2‐naphthylprolinol (DNP) were obtained from ultradilute solutions (10⁻¹² M ) on the Ag‐nanoparticle‐modified Ag electrode, which is attributed to the high electromagnetic (EM) effect of the SERS‐active system as well as to the strong adsorption and interaction of DNP molecules with Ag. The stable SERS spectra present remarkable potential dependence, which gives evidence for the behavior of individual DNP molecules on the Ag surface. Based on statistical analysis for the probability of DNP molecules located in ‘hot spots’, we propose an SERS mechanism for individual molecules in the electrode system, in combination with the hot‐spot model and orientation of the probe molecules. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SERS active Ag nanoparticles in mesoporous silicon: detection of organic molecules and peptide–antibody assays

Ag nanoparticles synthesized on porous silicon samples were studied and applied as substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The metallic nanostructures prepared by immersion plating were characterized by UV–Vis reflectance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. SERS activity of the substrates was tested using Cyanine dye 1,3,3,1′,3′,3′‐esamethyl‐5,5′‐dimethoxyindodicarbocyanine iodide (Cy5‐OCH₃) as a probe molecule. The Raman spectra obtained for different excitation wavelengths indicate amplifications ascribed to plasmonic resonances with an enhancement factor up to 10⁷. CGIYRLRS peptides were chemisorbed on the Ag nanoparticles with the plasmonic resonance tuned at the excitation energy. Such oligopeptides were used as baits for a specific polyclonal antibody. The overall Raman enhancement allowed to evidence a good selectivity to the target analyte as required by most of the SERS applications on biological assays. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A facile method for the synthesis of large‐size Ag nanoparticles as efficient SERS substrates

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) enjoy a reputation as an ultrasensitive substrate for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). However, large‐scale synthesis of Ag NPs in a controlled manner is a challenging task for a long period of time. Here, we reported a simple seed‐mediated method to synthesize Ag NPs with controllable sizes from 50 to 300 nm, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. SERS spectra of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) from the as‐prepared Ag NPs substrates indicate that the enhancement capability of Ag NPs varies with different excitation wavelengths. The Ag NPs with average sizes of ~150, ~175, and ~225 nm show the highest SERS activities for 532, 633, and 785‐nm excitation, respectively. Significantly, 150‐nm Ag NPs exhibit an enhancement factor exceeding 10⁸ for pyridine (Py) molecules in electrochemical SERS (EC‐SERS) measurements. Furthermore, finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) calculation is employed to explain the size‐dependent SERS activity. Finally, the potential of the as‐prepared SERS substrates is demonstrated with the detection of malachite green. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection and analysis of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) in environmental samples by surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Techniques for rapid and sensitive detection of energetics such as cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) are needed both for environmental and security screening applications. Here we report the use of surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy to detect traces of RDX with good sensitivity and reproducibility. Using gold (Au) nanoparticles (∼90–100 nm in diameter) as SERS substrates, RDX was detectable at concentrations as low as 0.15 mg/l in a contaminated groundwater sample. This detection limit is about two orders of magnitude lower than those reported previously using SERS techniques. A surface enhancement factor of ∼6 × 10⁴ was obtained. This research further demonstrates the potential for using SERS as a rapid, in situ field screening tool for energetics detection when coupled with a portable Raman spectrometer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.