Plasmofluidics: Merging Light and Fluids at the Micro-/Nanoscale

Abstract

Plasmofluidics is the synergistic integration of plasmonics and micro/nano fluidics in devices and applications in order to enhance performance. There has been significant progress in the emerging field of plasmofluidics in recent years. By utilizing the capability of plasmonics to manipulate light at the nanoscale, combined with the unique optical properties of fluids, and precise manipulation via micro/nano fluidics, plasmofluidic technologies enable innovations in lab-on-a-chip systems, reconfigurable photonic devices, optical sensing, imaging, and spectroscopy. In this review article, we examine and categorize the most recent advances in plasmofluidics into plasmon-enhanced functionalities in microfluidics and microfluidics-enhanced plasmonic devices. The former focuses on plasmonic manipulations of fluids, bubbles, particles, biological cells, and molecules at the micro-/nano-scale. The latter includes technological advances that apply microfluidic principles to enable reconfigurable plasmonic devices and performance-enhanced plasmonic sensors. We conclude with our perspectives on the upcoming challenges, opportunities, and the possible future directions of the emerging field of plasmofluidics.

Multiplexed Nanoplasmonic Temporal Profiling of T-Cell Response under Immunomodulatory Agent Exposure

“…13,14 The LSPR biosensor structure incorporates arrayed AuNR particle patterns conjugated with antibodies, in a confined microfluidic channel, and provides the advantage of biosensor integration. 15 Measurements of LSPR image-intensity shifts resulting from analyte binding to the AuNR particle sensor surfaces allow for label-free, nanoplasmonic optical measurements of target biomolecules. 16 According to our previous study, 12 this immunoassay exhibits highly advantageous features, such as a short sampling-to-answer time (∼30 min), which is the time required for the whole process involving analyte sample loading, incubation, and washing, a large dynamic range (∼10–10 000 pg/mL), a low operating sample volume (∼1 μL), and multiplexed analysis capability.…”

Nanoparticle trapping and routing on plasmonic nanorails in a microfluidic channel

“…Near-field particle manipulation has been demonstrated in a range of different nanophotonic devices that support evanescent optical fields, which include waveguides [5][6][7], microring resonators [8], whispering gallery mode resonators [9], photonic crystals [10][11][12], all-dielectric nanoantennas [13] and plasmonic resonators [14][15][16]. One area which has recently attracted particular attention from the research community, is the use of surface plasmons, a hybridised oscillation of free electrons and light at the surface of a metal.…”

Photoluminescence Enhancement of CuInS2 Quantum Dots in Solution Coupled to Plasmonic Gold Nanocup Array

“…At both peaks, the transmission is dramatically enhanced over the expected classical value for the area of the nanostructure . Such nanostructure arrays have been utilized extensively in chemical and biological sensing . For instance, we have demonstrated a biosensing application of nanocup array structure based on the shift in the EOT peak by introducing a few nanometer thick dielectric coating with different refractive index (e.g., a typical protein layer with a refractive index of ≈1.35–1.40) .…”