The detection of a few molecules in a highly diluted solution is of paramount interest in fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution in relation to rare and dangerous chemicals. Nanosensors based on plasmonics are promising devices in this regard, in that they combine the features of high sensitivity, label-free detection and miniaturization. However, plasmonic-based nanosensors, in common with general sensors with sensitive areas on the scale of nanometres, cannot be used directly to detect molecules dissolved in femto- or attomolar solutions. In other words, they are diffusion-limited and their detection times become impractical at such concentrations. In this Article, we demonstrate, by combining super-hydrophobic artificial surfaces and nanoplasmonic structures, that few molecules can be localized and detected even at attomolar (10−18 mol l−1) concentration. Moreover, the detection can be combined with fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, such that the chemical signature of the molecules can be clearly determined.

Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures / De Angelis, F.; Gentile, Francesco; Mecarini, F.; Das, G.; Moretti, M.; Candeloro, P.; Coluccio, M. L.; Cojoc, G.; Accardo, A.; Liberale, C.; Zaccaria, R. P.; Perozziello, G.; Tirinato, L.; Toma, A.; Cuda, G.; Cingolani, R.; Di Fabrizio, E.. - In: NATURE PHOTONICS. - ISSN 1749-4885. - 5:11(2011), pp. 682-687. [10.1038/nphoton.2011.222]

Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures

GENTILE, Francesco;
2011

Abstract

The detection of a few molecules in a highly diluted solution is of paramount interest in fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution in relation to rare and dangerous chemicals. Nanosensors based on plasmonics are promising devices in this regard, in that they combine the features of high sensitivity, label-free detection and miniaturization. However, plasmonic-based nanosensors, in common with general sensors with sensitive areas on the scale of nanometres, cannot be used directly to detect molecules dissolved in femto- or attomolar solutions. In other words, they are diffusion-limited and their detection times become impractical at such concentrations. In this Article, we demonstrate, by combining super-hydrophobic artificial surfaces and nanoplasmonic structures, that few molecules can be localized and detected even at attomolar (10−18 mol l−1) concentration. Moreover, the detection can be combined with fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, such that the chemical signature of the molecules can be clearly determined.
2011
Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures / De Angelis, F.; Gentile, Francesco; Mecarini, F.; Das, G.; Moretti, M.; Candeloro, P.; Coluccio, M. L.; Cojoc, G.; Accardo, A.; Liberale, C.; Zaccaria, R. P.; Perozziello, G.; Tirinato, L.; Toma, A.; Cuda, G.; Cingolani, R.; Di Fabrizio, E.. - In: NATURE PHOTONICS. - ISSN 1749-4885. - 5:11(2011), pp. 682-687. [10.1038/nphoton.2011.222]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/629395
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