Design of a Plasmonic Platform to Improve the SERS Sensitivity for Molecular Detection

Abstract

We suggested a plasmonic platform based on a cubic pattern of gold spheres for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In the case of linear polarization along the symmetry axes, the SERS enhancement per area is identical to hexagonally patterned surfaces. The validity of this model was tested using the simulation package of COMSOL Multiphysics® Modeling Software. We found an improved sensitivity in the near infrared and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This method considered tolerance towards stacking faults and suggested a plasmonic platform for ultra-sensing applications. The design can be extended towards the molecular detection if the proposed plasmonic platform is used with SERS.

Plasmonic Sensors for Monitoring Biological and Chemical Threat Agents

“…Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) depends on plasmonic platforms and nano-antenna, which have developed into an effective area of study [ 83 ]. SERS is one of the leading techniques for label-free ultrasensitive vibrational fingerprinting of a variety of compounds.…”

“…They also performed the crossselectivity experiments with Zika-virus-infected patients and showed that this sensor can distinguish Dengue virus serotype infected individual patients. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) depends on plasmonic platforms and nano-antenna, which have developed into an effective area of study [83]. SERS is one of the leading techniques for label-free ultrasensitive vibrational fingerprinting of a variety of compounds.…”

A Molecular Study of Aspirin and Tenofovir Using Gold/Dextran Nanocomposites and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

“…Although the exact mechanism of SERS is still under discussion, it is widely accepted that the surface enhancement effect arises from two processes: electromagnetic and chemical enhancement [5,6]. In the case of electromagnetic enhancement (EM), the SERS effect occurs from the interaction between the incident laser photons and the surface plasmons, which are the collective oscillating frequencies of the conducting electrons found on the surface of the metallic nanostructure [7,8]. The efficiency of this method relies on the distance between the analyte and the metal nanoparticle (NP); thus, only molecules which are near the NP, referred to as the "hotspot", will experience the maximum Raman signal amplification [9,10].…”

Heterogeneous Nanoplasmonic Amplifiers for Photocatalysis’s Application: A Theoretical Study

“…Metal-based nanomaterials are a key element in the development of advanced nanotechnology. These nanomaterials are promising candidates for a variety of applications including optical sensors and biosensors technology [1][2][3][4], photochemistry and photocatalysis [5][6][7][8]. Particularly, metallic nanoparticles NPs attracted substantial interest due to their Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR).…”