Integrated Si‐based nanoplasmonic sensor with phase‐sensitive angular interrogation

This work is related to the development of an integrated Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor on silicon platform. The optical properties of metallic nanogratings fabricated on the semiconductor structure allow direct plasmonic detection in transmission mode. Specially designed angular interrogation method provides a periodic signal with phase dependent on the conditions of surface plasmon excitation. Proposed technique leads to sensitivity better than 10^?6 RIU for conventional SPR Kretschmann configuration and was tested on the integrated Si‐based nanoplasmonic chip. Developed concept is promising for low‐cost mono and multi ‐sensing applications by portable or stationary platforms.     

An Approximate Theoretical Model of Surface Plasmon Resonance Optical Waveguide and Fibre-optic Sensors

Optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation can be theoretically depicted and discussed using Fresnel’s equations. However, Fresnel’s equations cannot explicitly give expressions to reflect the characteristics of SPR systems, especially in SPR optical waveguide and fibre-optic sensors. In this paper a mathematical model based on the approximation proposed by Kretschmann in bulk optics is presented to describe the characteristics of SPR optical waveguide and fibre-optic sensors. The results show that the model keeps high accuracy when used in the area close to the minimum reflection, at which the resonance condition is achieved. This model can be used to analytically estimate the performance of SPR optical waveguide sensors, and SPR fibre-optic sensors in meridional rays approximation.     

表面增强拉曼散射检测分析物分子的研究进展

表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)技术具有高效,灵敏,无损检测等特点,能实现对分析物分子的极低浓度检测,被广泛应用于痕量分析领域.在生产和生活中,有些毒性物质或非法添加剂被人体摄入或长期接触后,在体内不断累积,最终导致中毒或者组织器官发生病变;环境中过量的有害物质残留,由于其本身的毒性或者使菌株和害虫产生抗药性而造成的生态系...     

Engineering of SERS Substrates Based on Noble Metal Nanomaterials for Chemical and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted great interest due to its remarkable enhancement, excellent sensitivity, and the “fingerprinting” ability to produce distinct spectra for detecting various molecules. Noble metal nanomaterials have usually been employed as SERS-active substrates because of their strong SERS enhancement originated from their unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties. Because the SPR property depends on metal material's size, shape, morphology, arrangement, and dielectric environment around metal nanostructures, the key to wider applications of SERS technique is to develop plasmon-resonant structures with novel geometries to enhance Raman signals and to control the periodic ordering of these structures over a large area to obtain reproducible Raman enhancement. This review presents a general view on the theory background of SERS effect and several basic concepts and focuses on recent progress in engineering metallic nanostructures with various morphologies using versatile methods for improving SERS properties. Their potential applications in the field of chemical detection and biological sensing are overviewed.     

Improvement of plasmonic field-matter interaction by subwavelength dielectric gratings

We experimentally and theoretically investigate that detection sensitivity in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors can be significantly enhanced by employing subwavelength dielectric gratings deposited on a gold film. The enhancement originates from an improvement of field-matter interaction: enhanced evanescent field intensity at the binding region and increased surface reaction area. Using a large-area SiO₂ grating array fabricated by nanoimprint lithography, experimental sensor performance measured by parylene film coating shows that the SPR substrates combined with a dielectric grating provide a notable sensitivity improvement compared to a conventional bare gold film. We also demonstrate that plasmon field can be more confined and enhanced at the dielectric gratings with a larger width. The proposed SPR structure could potentially be useful in a variety of plasmonic applications including high-sensitivity biosensors.     

Sensitivity enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensor using continuous film metallic gratings

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor based on continuous film metallic gratings is numerically investigated for enhance sensitivity. The results calculated by rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) present that interplays between localized surface plasmons and surface plasmons polaritons contribute to sensitivity enhancement. The sensitivity enhancement factor (SEF), which represents the influence of metallic grating, increased as the grating period decreased. In addition, several reflection dips can be achieved as the period of metallic grating increased. By double-dips method, the sensitivity SPR sensor based on continuous film grating-based is improved into 153.23°/RIU, which is more sensitive than conventional thin film-based SPR sensor in the same condition. The SPR sensor based on continuous film metallic gratings exhibits good linearity.     

An experimental correlation study between field–target overlap and sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance biosensors based on sandwiched immunoassays

In this report, we have studied the effectiveness of field–target overlap to evaluate detection sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors. The investigation used theoretical analysis based on the transfer matrix method, which was experimentally confirmed by thin film-based detection in sandwich and reverse sandwich immunoglobulin G (IgG) assays. Both theoretical and experimental results show that strong correlation exists between the overlap and the sensitivity with the coefficient of correlation higher than 95% in all the cases that we have considered. We have also confirmed the correlation in diffraction grating-based SPR measurement of IgG/anti-IgG interactions. The correlation elucidates the mechanism behind the far-field detection sensitivity of SPR biosensors and can lead to the enhancement of SPR biosensing with molecular scale sensitivity.     

基于表面等离子体共振原理的空芯光纤传感器

设计了一种基于表面等离子体共振原理,使用空芯光纤作为光波导、外表面镀金属膜的光学材料圆柱体作为探头的新型折射率传感器。通过建立光学模型进行分析,在理论上推导出了这种传感器的传输光谱损耗公式,并针对该传感器在不同的光纤长度、探头材料、检测物质折射率等参数设置下的检测性能进行了分析,获得了各种参数对其性能的影响。由于该传感器可针对不同折射率的检测物质灵活地更换合适探头材料,相对于传统的表面等离子体共振光纤传感器,在易用性和性价比等方面具有更好的应用价值。     

金膜与银膜光纤SPR传感器

不同的金属传感层对光纤SPR传感器的特性有着重要的影响.根据该传感器的理论公式,计算了金膜、银膜传感器的输出光谱,并与实验结果进行了比较.结果表明,银膜光纤SPR传感器的理论输出光谱和实验检测光谱吻合很好,而金膜吻合较差.分析了出现这种偏差的原因.     

Magnetized SPR sensor for enhanced functionality

It is known that a magnetic field changes the RI and the SPR angle of specific analytes. We have applied an external magnetic field to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor to exploit this phenomenon. A gold film is used for excitation of SPR in the sensor with a Kretschmann configuration. According to the concentration of 4-type analyte, we observed unique changes of the SPR angle due to the magnetic field, providing better classification of material type than a conventional SPR sensor.     

Rapid chemical-vapor sensing using optofluidic ring resonators

We develop rapid chemical-vapor sensors based on optofluidic ring resonators (OFRRs). The OFRR is a glass capillary whose circular wall supports the circulating waveguide modes (WGMs). The OFRR inner surface is coated with a vapor-sensitive polymer. The analyte and polymer interaction causes the polymer refractive index to change, which is detected as a WGM spectral shift. Owing to the excellent fluidics, the OFRR exhibits subsecond detection and recovery time with a flow rate of only 1 mL/min, a few orders of magnitude lower than that in the existing optical vapor sensors. The detection limit is estimated to be 5.6 x 10(-6) refractive index units, over ten times better than other ring-resonator vapor sensors. Ethanol and hexane vapors are used as a model system, and chemical differentiation is demonstrated with different polymer coatings.     

Gold and Silver Nanomaterial‐Based Optical Sensing Systems

Gold and silver nanomaterials (NMs) such as nanoparticles (NPs) and nanoclusters (NCs) possessing interesting optical properties have become popular sensing materials. With strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption, extraordinary stability, ease in preparation, conjugation, and biocompatibility, Au NPs are employed to develop sensitive and selective sensing systems for a variety of analytes. However, small sizes of Au and Ag NCs with interesting photoluminescence (PL) properties are used in many PL‐based sensing systems for the detection of important analytes. In addition, many bimetallic AuM NMs possessing strong catalytic activity are used to develop highly sensitive fluorescent sensors. This review article is categorized in four sections based on the NMs used in the sensing systems, including Au NPs, bimetallic AuM NMs, Au NCs, and DNA–Ag NCs. In each section, synthetic strategies and optical properties of the NMs are provided briefly, followed by emphasis on their analytical applications in the detection of small molecules, metal ions, DNA, proteins, and cells. Current challenges and future prospects of these NMs‐based sensing systems will be addressed.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy on novel black silicon‐based nanostructured surfaces

Two different black silicon nanostructured surfaces modified with thin gold layers were tested for analytical signal enhancement with Surface‐Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). The relationship between the thicknesses of the gold layers and the analytical signal enhancement was studied. Also, effects of Ti and Ti/Pt adhesion layers underneath the gold layers on the analytical signal enhancement were tested. An enhancement factor of 7.6 × 10⁷ with the excitation laser 785 nm was achieved for the tested analyte, Rhodamine 6G, and non‐resonance SER spectra were recorded in a 5 s acquisition mode. Such an enhancement enables to achieve a detection limit down to 2.4 pg of Rhodamine 6G on a black silicon‐based nanosurface coated with a 400‐nm‐thin layer of gold. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhancement of the resolution of surface plasmon resonance biosensors by control of the size and distribution of nanoparticles

A new resolution-enhanced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor offers a tenfold improvement in resolution compared with conventional SPR biosensors in the detection of the surface coverage of biomaterials. The proposed optical biosensor, based on the attenuated total-reflection method, excites both the surface plasmons and particle plasmons to enhance the local electromagnetic field by control of the size and volume fraction of embedded Au nanoparticles to increase the resolution of the device. The SPR biosensor design is based on the Maxwell-Garnett model and the Fresnel equations, and the device is fabricated with a cosputtering deposition system.     

Optical properties of the Au–Ag alloy nanowire coated with an anisotropic shell

The optical properties of the Au–Ag alloy nanowire coated with a cylindrical shell with radial dielectric anisotropy are investigated based on quasistatic theory. Numerical results show that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak is redshifted with increasing the component ratio of Au in the alloy, while the intensity of extinction section at the SPR increases with increasing the component ratio of Ag in the alloy. In addition, as the extent of anisotropy of the shell increases, the extinction section at SPR wavelength decreases and the SPR wavelength is redshifted, but compared with the isotropic shell consisting of comparable dielectric constant materials, the SPR has a distinct blueshift for anisotropic shell. We also find that the field enhancement can be completely concentrated inside the anisotropic shell and the electromagnetic transparency can be exhibited.     

基于高斯拟合的光纤型SPR信号的峰值检测算法

光纤型表面等离子共振光谱具有半峰宽较宽,共振峰不尖锐等特征,传统的针对棱镜型SPR光谱的峰值检测算法无法准确定位此类光谱的共振峰值。为了准确计算光纤型SPR光谱的共振波长,提出了一种基于信赖域算法的高斯拟合方法,在拟合的光谱曲线上利用一维搜索的方式确定峰值位置。通过对标准甘油光谱数据的处理,证明高斯拟合法能够适应光纤型SPR光谱的特征,波长计算准确。通过搭建的SPR系统,实验测量了不同浓度下蔗糖溶液的SPR光谱数据,并分别采用加权质心法,追踪质心法和该研究提出的高斯拟合法进行共振波长的计算。结果表明高斯拟合法能够有效提升分辨率,且运算速度较快,有利于工程集成。     

用于接触式探测的多模光纤探针形状优化

对于进行接触式探测的多模光纤探针,信号光来自于附着于探针表面的待测物。基于几何光学,提出了一个物理模型,用以分析探头形状对所收集的信号光强度的影响。采用此模型,对抛物线型探头进行了仿真,给出了最优形状参数,并采用表面增强拉曼探针进行了初步实验验证。此分析可用于指导各种光纤传感器的设计,以确定其最佳的形状参数,适用于荧光传感器、表面等离子体共振传感器、表面增强拉曼传感器等。     

Elementary relaxation processes investigated by femtosecond photoelectron spectroscopy of two‐dimensional materials

Elementary scattering processes in solid matter occur on ultrafast timescales and photoelectron spectroscopy in the time domain represents an excellent tool for their analysis. Conventional photoemission accesses binding energies of electronic states and their momentum dispersion. The use of femtosecond laser pulses in pump‐probe experiments allows obtaining direct insights to the energy and momentum dependence of ultrafast dynamics. This article introduces the elementary interaction processes and emphasizes recent work performed in this rapidly developing field. Decay processes in the low excitation limit are addressed, where electrons decay according to their interaction with carriers in equilibrium. Here, hot electron relaxation in epitaxial metallic film is reviewed. In the limit of an intense optical excitation, scattering of the excited electrons among each other establishes a non‐equilibrium state. Results on charge‐density wave materials and the effect of coherent nuclear motion on the electronic structure, which can break low symmetry ground states, are discussed. Figure reprinted with permission from [71].     

Sensitivity enhancement based on application of multi-pass interferometry in phase-sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor

A novel design of multi-pass surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor with differential phase interrogation based on multi-pass interferometry is presented. This new configuration provides an intrinsic phase amplification effect of over twofold by placing the SPR sensor head in a signal arm of the interferometer so that the interrogating optical beam will traverse the sensor surface infinite number of times. Experimental interferometers based on the Michelson and Fabry–Perot configurations have been employed to experimentally verify this amplification effect when they were compared with Mach–Zehnder configuration, results obtained from salt–water mixtures, antibody–antigen, and protein–DNA binding reaction confirmed the expected phase measurement enhancement, thus leading to the possibility of direct detection of small sized bio-molecules using SPR.     

Surface Plasmon Resonance and Field Enhancement of Au/Ag Alloyed Hollow Nanoshells

We investigate the nanostructure, surface plasmon resonance （SPR） absorption and nonlinear enhancement of Au/Ag alloyed hollow nanoshells prepared by the replacement reaction of Ag nanoparticles in a HAuCI4 aqueous solution. As the volume of HAuCl4 increases from OmL to 0.S mL, the SPR band of the Au/Ag alloyed nanoshells is tuned from 430nm to 780nm, and the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility is enhanced nearly by an order of magnitude, which indicates a large enhancement of local field in the Au/Ag alloyed hollow nanoshells with hole defects.