Probing the Structure of Single-Molecule Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Hot Spots

Nanoplasmonic sensors for detecting circulating cancer biomarkers

The detection of cancer biomarkers represents an important aspect of cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Recently, the concept of liquid biopsy has been introduced whereby diagnosis and prognosis are performed by means of analyzing biological fluids obtained from patients to detect and quantify circulating cancer biomarkers. Unlike conventional biopsy whereby primary tumor cells are analyzed, liquid biopsy enables the detection of a wide variety of circulating cancer biomarkers, including microRNA (miRNA), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), proteins, exosomes and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Among the various techniques that have been developed to detect circulating cancer biomarkers, nanoplasmonic sensors represent a promising measurement approach due to high sensitivity and specificity as well as ease of instrumentation and operation. In this review, we discuss the relevance and applicability of three different categories of nanoplasmonic sensing techniques, namely surface plasmon resonance (SPR), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), for the detection of different classes of circulating cancer biomarkers.

Populating surface-trapped electrons towards SERS enhancement of W18O49 nanowires

The population of surface-trapped electrons determines the SERS performance of a W₁₈O₄₉ substrate, as proved by construction of metal–semiconductor or organic–semiconductor interfaces.

Towards single-molecule in situ electrochemical SERS detection with disposable substrates

Nanostructure and surface charge can be tuned during the electrochemical activation of SERS substrates achieving highly active surfaces with feasible detection of a few molecules.

Intracellular localization of nanoparticle dimers by chirality reversal

The intra- and extracellular positioning of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) can dramatically alter their curative/diagnostic abilities and medical outcomes. However, the inability of common spectroscopic identifiers to register the events of transmembrane transport denies their intracellular vs. extracellular localization even for cell cultures. Here we show that the chiroptical activity of DNA-bridged NP dimers allows one to follow the process of internalization of the particles by the mammalian cells and to distinguish their extra- vs intra-cellular localizations by real-time spectroscopy in ensemble. Circular dichroism peaks in the visible range change from negative to positive during transmembrane transport. The chirality reversal is associated with a spontaneous twisting motion around the DNA bridge caused by the large change in electrostatic repulsion between NPs when the dimers move from interstitial fluid to cytosol. This finding opens the door for spectroscopic targeting of plasmonic nanodrugs and quantitative assessment of nanoscale interactions. The efficacy of dichroic targeting of chiral nanostructures for biomedical applications is exemplified here as photodynamic therapy of malignancies. The efficacy of cervical cancer cell elimination was drastically increased when circular polarization of incident photons matched to the preferential absorption of dimers localized inside the cancer cells, which is associated with the increased generation of reactive oxygen species and their preferential intracellular localization.

The ability to spectroscopically pinpoint whether nanoparticles are located inside or outside of cells represents an overarching need in biology and medicine. Here, the authors show that the chirality of DNA-bridged particle dimers reverses when they cross the cell membrane, providing a real-time chiroptical signature of their intra- or extracellular location.

Core-Shell Nanoparticle Clusters Enable Synergistic Integration of Plasmonic and Catalytic Functions in a Single Platform

Designing controlled hybrid nanoarchitectures between plasmonic and catalytic materials is of paramount importance to fully exploit each function of constituent materials. This study reports a new synthetic strategy for the realization of colloidal clusters of core-shell nanoparticles with plasmonic cores and catalytically active shells. The Au@M (M = Pd or Pt) nanoparticle clusters (NPCs) with a high density of sub-1 nm interparticle gaps are successfully prepared by the deposition of M shells onto thermally activated Au NPCs. NPCs with other metal, metal sulfide, and metal oxide shells can also be synthesized by using the present approach. The prepared Au@M NPCs show remarkably enhanced plasmonic performance compared to their Au@M nanoparticle counterparts due to the localization of a strong electromagnetic field at the interparticle gaps, while the inherent catalytic function of shells is intact. In situ real-time Raman spectroscopy and plasmon-enhanced electrocatalysis experiments demonstrate that the controlled assembly of core-shell nanoparticles is a very effective route for the synergistic integration of plasmonic and catalytic functions in a single platform.

Annealing Induced Morphology of Silver Nanoparticles on Pyramidal Silicon Surface and Their Application to Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

This paper reports on a simple and cost-effective process of developing a stable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate based on silver (Ag) nanoparticles deposited on silicon (Si) surface. Durability is an important issue for preparing SERS active substrate as silver nanostructures are prone to rapid surface oxidation when exposed to ambient conditions, which may result in the loss of the enhancement capabilities in a short period of time. Here, we employ the galvanic displacement method to produce Ag nanoparticles on Si(100) substrate prepatterned with arrays of micropyramids by chemical etching, and subsequently, separate pieces of such substrates were annealed in oxygen and nitrogen environments at 550 °C. Interestingly, while nitrogen-annealed Si substrates were featured by spherical-shaped Ag particles, the oxygen annealed Si substrates were dominated by the formation of triangular shape particles attached with the spherical one. Remarkably, the oxygen-annealed substrate thus produced shows very high SERS enhancement compared to the either unannealed or nitrogen annealed substrate. The hitherto unobserved coexistence of triangular morphology with the spherical one and the gap between the two (source of efficient hot-spots) are the origin of enhanced SERS activity for the oxygen-annealed Ag particle-covered Si substrate as probed by the combined finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulation and cathodoluminesensce (CL) experiment. As the substrate has already been annealed in an oxygen environment, further probability of oxidation is reduced in the present synthesis protocol that paves the way for making a novel long-lived thermally stable SERS substrate.

Controlling Plasmon-Enhanced Fluorescence via Intersystem Crossing in Photoswitchable Molecules

By harnessing photoswitchable intersystem crossing (ISC) in spiropyran (SP) molecules, active control of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence in the hybrid systems of SP molecules and plasmonic nanostructures is achieved. Specifically, SP-derived merocyanine (MC) molecules formed by photochemical ring-opening reaction display efficient ISC due to their zwitterionic character. In contrast, ISC in quinoidal MC molecules formed by thermal ring-opening reaction is negligible. The high ISC rate can improve fluorescence quantum yield of the plasmon-modified spontaneous emission, only when the plasmonic electromagnetic field enhancement is sufficiently high. Along this line, extensive photomodulation of fluorescence is demonstrated by switching the ISC in MC molecules at Au nanoparticle aggregates, where strongly enhanced plasmonic hot spots exist. The ISC-mediated plasmon-enhanced fluorescence represents a new approach toward controlling the spontaneous emission of fluorophores near plasmonic nanostructures, which expands the applications of active molecular plasmonics in information processing, biosensing, and bioimaging.

Ultrasensitive SERS immunoassay based on diatom biosilica for detection of interleukins in blood plasma

An ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) immunoassay based on diatom biosilica with integrated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for the detection of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in blood plasma has been developed. The SERS sensing originates from unique features of the diatom frustules, which are capable of enhancing the localized surface-plasmon resonance of metal nanostructures. The SERS immune tags ware fabricated by functionalizing 70-nm Au nanoparticles with DTNB (i.e., 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)), which acted as a Raman reporter molecule, as well as the specific antibodies. These DTNB-labeled immune-AuNPs can form a sandwich structure with IL-8 antigens (infection marker) and the antibodies immobilized on the biosilica material. Our method showed an improved IL-8 detection limit in comparison to standard ELISA methods. The current detection limit for IL-8 using a conventional ELISA test is about 15.6 pg mL⁻¹. The lower detection limit for IL-8 in blood plasma was estimated to be 6.2 pg mL⁻¹. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the recognition of IL-8 in human samples using a SERS-based method. This method clearly possesses high sensitivity to clinically relevant interleukin concentrations in body fluids. The average relative standard deviation of this method is less than 8%, which is sufficient for analytical analysis and comparable to those of classical ELISA methods. This SERS immunoassay also exhibits high biological specificity for the detection of IL-8 antigens. The established SERS immunoassay offers a valuable platform for the ultrasensitive and highly specific detection of immune biomarkers in a clinical setting for medical diagnostics.

Graphical Abstract

Dynamic plasmonic nano-traps for single molecule surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Intense electric fields at the nanoscale are essential for single molecule surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. Such fields can be achieved in plasmonic nano-gaps between nanoparticles and metal films through hybridization of surface plasmons. The nano-gaps could be formed and dynamically controlled by using plasmonic tweezers; however, the aggregation of particles in the plasmonic field degrades each particle's enhancement and spoils the nanosized-spatial resolution. Here, dual-plasmonic tweezers are proposed and demonstrated to accurately control the number of nano-gaps and enhancement by tailoring a crater-shaped potential well in the nano-trap system. As the electric field in the nano-gap is intense, SERS spectral signatures of a single molecular level are probed simultaneously. These advantages point towards the implementation of enhanced Raman spectra, and broad applications in optical molecular detection.

Investigation of simultaneously existed Raman scattering enhancement and inhibiting fluorescence using surface modified gold nanostars as SERS probes

One of the main challenges for highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection is the noise interference of fluorescence signals arising from the analyte molecules. Here we used three types of gold nanostars (GNSs) SERS probes treated by different surface modification methods to reveal the simultaneously existed Raman scattering enhancement and inhibiting fluorescence behaviors during the SERS detection process. As the distance between the metal nanostructures and the analyte molecules can be well controlled by these three surface modification methods, we demonstrated that the fluorescence signals can be either quenched or enhanced during the detection. We found that fluorescence quenching will occur when analyte molecules are closely contacted to the surface of GNSs, leading to a ~100 fold enhancement of the SERS sensitivity. An optimized Raman signal detection limit, as low as the level of 10-11 M, were achieved when Rhodamine 6 G were used as the analyte. The presented fluorescence-free GNSs SERS substrates with plentiful hot spots and controllable surface plasmon resonance wavelengths, fabricated using a cost-effective self-assembling method, can be very competitive candidates for high-sensitive SERS applications.

Graphene Oxide Nanoprisms for Sensitive Detection of Environmentally Important Aromatic Compounds with SERS

Recent advances in graphene-based sensors have shown that heavily oxidized (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are attractive materials for environmental sensing due to their unique chemical and physical properties. We describe here the fabrication of nanostructured GO assemblies with Ag nanoprisms for improved detection with surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Specifically, 100-μm-sized, periodic-nanoprism-array domains were fabricated on top of the GO layers by GO-assisted lithography (GOAL). The atomically thin GO underlayers are shown to attract cyclic aromatic molecules to the surface, likely via π-π stacking interactions. The close proximity of the analyte to GO and nanoprism (NP) tips effectively suppresses fluorescent background and affords a plausible tertiary enhancement of photon emissions via an electron charge transfer (CT) process. The adsorption of analyte to rGO-NP leads to the appearance and/or shift of several Raman bands, which provided a means to gain molecular insights into the graphene-enhanced scattering process. The analytical merits were characterized with model compound Rhodamine 6G, where the detection limit could reach subnanomolar concentrations. The nanoprism GO substrates also prove effective for SERS multiplex measurement of several legacy aromatic pollutants. Three tetrachlorobiphenyl isomers could be identified from a mixture using their autonomous nonoverlapping molecular fingerprints, and the substrate offers remarkable trace detection of 2,2',3,3'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB-77).

Uniform Microgels Containing Agglomerates of Silver Nanocubes for Molecular Size-Selectivity and High SERS Activity

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a promising technique for molecular analysis as the molecular fingerprints (Raman spectra) are amplified to detectable levels compared with common spectroscopy. Metal nanostructures localize electromagnetic field on their surfaces, which can lead to dramatic increase of Raman intensity of molecules adsorbed. However, the metal surfaces are prone to contamination, thereby requiring pretreatment of samples to remove adhesive molecules. To avoid the pretreatment and potentially achieve point-of-care (POC) analysis, we have developed SERS-active microgels using the droplet-microfluidic system. As the microgels are composed of water-swollen network with consistent mesh size, they selectively allow diffusion of molecules smaller than the mesh, thereby excluding large adhesives. To render the microgels highly SERS-active, we destabilize silver nanocubes to form agglomerates, which are embedded in the matrix of microgels. The nanogaps in the agglomerates provide high sensitivity in Raman measurement and size-selective permeability of the microgel matrix obviates the pretreatment of samples. To validate the functions, we demonstrate the direct detection of Aspirin dissolved in whole blood without any pretreatment.

Building Electromagnetic Hot Spots in Living Cells via Target-Triggered Nanoparticle Dimerization

Electromagnetic hot spots of surface-enhanced Raman scattering have been extensively employed for bioanalysis in solution or on a substrate, but building hot spots in living systems for probing targets of interest has not been achieved yet because of the complex and dynamic physiological environment. Herein, we show that a target-programmed nanoparticle dimerization can be combined with the background-free Raman reporters (alkyne, C≡C; nitrile, C≡N) for multiplexed imaging of microRNAs (miRNAs) in living cells. The in situ formation of plasmonic dimers results in an intense hot spot, thus dramatically enhancing the Raman signals of the reporters residing in the hot spot. More significantly, the reporters exhibit single nonoverlapping peaks in the cellular Raman-silent region (1800-2800 cm^-1), thus eliminating spectral unmixing and background interference. A 3D Raman mapping technique was harnessed to monitor the spatial distribution of the dimers and thus the multiple miRNAs in cells. This approach could be extended to probe other biomarkers of interest for monitoring specific pathophysiological events at the live-cell level.

Plasmonic Nanolenses: Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Hierarchical Nanoparticle Trimers and Their Response to Optical and Electron Beam Stimuli

Asymmetric nanoparticle trimers composed of particles with increasing diameter act as "plasmonic lenses" and have been predicted to exhibit ultrahigh confinement of electromagnetic energy in the space between the two smallest particles. Here we present an electrostatic self-assembly approach for creating gold nanoparticle trimers with an assembly yield of over 60%. We demonstrate that the trimer assembly leads to characteristic red-shifts and show the localization of the relevant plasmon modes by means of cathodoluminescence and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The results are analyzed in terms of surface plasmon hybridization.

SERS-based ultrasensitive detection of organophosphorus nerve agents via substrate's surface modification

Highly efficient detection of the organicphosphor nerve agents such as sarin and soman, based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect, has been in challenge due to their weak adsorption property on coin metals. In this paper, a new strategy is presented to achieve the SERS-based ultrasensitive detection of sarin-simulated agent methanephosphonic acid (MPA) via the surface modification of SERS-substrates. The Au-coated Si nanocone array is surface-modified with 2-aminoethanethiol and used as SERS-substrate for detection of MPA. It has been shown that the modified substrate could preferentially capture MPA molecules in the solution with coupling agent and induce amidation reaction. The reaction products are still bound or anchor on the substrate's surface. The MPA molecules can thus be detected by Raman spectral measurement of the solution-soaked SERS-substrate. The minimum detection level is down to ∼1ppb. The Raman peak intensity versus the MPA concentration is subject to a linear double logarithmic relation from ∼1ppb to ∼1000ppm, which is attributed to Freundlich adsorption of MPA on the surface-modified SERS substrate. This study provides a new way for the highly efficient SERS-based detection of the organophosphorus nerve agents and some other target molecules weakly interacted with metal substrates.

Spatial Mapping of Pyocyanin in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Bacterial Communities Using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) imaging was used in conjunction with principal component analysis (PCA) for the in situ spatiotemporal mapping of the virulence factor pyocyanin in communities of the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The combination of SERS imaging and PCA analysis provides a robust method for the characterization of heterogeneous biological systems while circumventing issues associated with interference from sample autofluorescence and low reproducibility of SERS signals. The production of pyocyanin is found to depend both on the growth carbon source and on the specific strain of P. aeruginosa studied. A cystic fibrosis lung isolate strain of P. aeruginosa synthesizes and secretes pyocyanin when grown with glucose and glutamate, while the laboratory strain exhibits detectable production of pyocyanin only when grown with glutamate as the source of carbon. Pyocyanin production in the laboratory strain grown with glucose was below the limit of detection of SERS. In addition, the combination of SERS imaging and PCA can elucidate subtle differences in the molecular composition of biofilms. PCA loading plots from the clinical isolate exhibit features corresponding to vibrational bands of carbohydrates, which represent the mucoid biofilm matrix specific to that isolate, features that are not seen in the PCA loading plots of the laboratory strain.

Three-dimensional donut-like gold nanorings with multiple hot spots for surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy

Seeking for the best possible substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is of great interest for single-molecule-level detection applications. Lithographic plasmonic nanostructures are supposed to enable uniform enhancement and thus have attracted extensive interest in the past decade. In this work, we propose and demonstrate a lithographic three-dimensional (3D) donut-like gold nanoring array as a SERS substrate with an enhancement factor (EF) up to 3.84 × 10⁷. This 3D nanoring array could be directly fabricated using electron-beam-lithography-defined templates without any additional lift-off process and thus promises ultraclean metallic surfaces. Meanwhile, the 3D configuration allows multiple hot spots for improving SERS performance compared to planar counterparts with comparable plasmon resonance position. Systematic experiments and simulations were conducted to gain understanding of the origin of the improved SERS performance. The results imply that the 3D donut-like gold nanorings with multiple hot spots can serve as a promising configuration for SERS applications.

Surface regeneration and signal increase in surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates

Regenerated surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates allow users the ability to not only reuse sensing surfaces, but also tailor them to the sensing application needs (wavelength of the available laser, plasmon band matching). In this review, we discuss the development of SERS substrates for response to emerging threats and some of our collaborative efforts to improve on the use of commercially available substrate surfaces. Thus, we are able to extend the use of these substrates to broader Army needs (like emerging threat response).

Super-Resolution Imaging and Plasmonics

This review describes the growing partnership between super-resolution imaging and plasmonics, by describing the various ways in which the two topics mutually benefit one another to enhance our understanding of the nanoscale world. First, localization-based super-resolution imaging strategies, where molecules are modulated between emissive and nonemissive states and their emission localized, are applied to plasmonic nanoparticle substrates, revealing the hidden shape of the nanoparticles while also mapping local electromagnetic field enhancements and reactivity patterns on their surface. However, these results must be interpreted carefully due to localization errors induced by the interaction between metallic substrates and single fluorophores. Second, plasmonic nanoparticles are explored as image contrast agents for both superlocalization and super-resolution imaging, offering benefits such as high photostability, large signal-to-noise, and distance-dependent spectral features but presenting challenges for localizing individual nanoparticles within a diffraction-limited spot. Finally, the use of plasmon-tailored excitation fields to achieve subdiffraction-limited spatial resolution is discussed, using localized surface plasmons and surface plasmon polaritons to create confined excitation volumes or image magnification to enhance spatial resolution.

Systematic investigation of the SERS efficiency and SERS hotspots in gas-phase deposited Ag nanoparticle assemblies

Revealing the SERS hotspots and SERS efficiencies of Ag nanoparticle assemblies based on the design of multifarious rainbow-like nanoparticle bands.

Enhancements inside and outside the junctions of Ag colloidal dimers

SERS signal enhancements inside and outside the junctions of the dimers were experimentally calculated.

Two Mechanisms of Tip Enhancement of Raman Scattering by Protein Aggregates

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) is a powerful tool for probing the surface of biological species with nanometer spatial resolution. Here, we report the TER spectra of an individual insulin fibril, the protein cast film and a short peptide (LVEALYL) microcrystal mimicking the fibril core. Two different types of TER spectra were acquired depending on the "roughness" of the probed surface at the molecular level. A fully reproducible, low-intensity, normal Raman-type spectrum was characteristic of the top flat surface of the microcrystal while highly variable, higher intensity TER spectra were obtained for the edges of the microcrystal, cast film, and fibril. As a result, two tip enhancement mechanisms of Raman scattering, long- and short-range, were proposed by analogy with the physical and chemical enhancement mechanisms, respectively, known for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Semiempirical modeling of electrochemical charge transfer

Nanoelectrochemical experiments using detection based on tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) show a broad distribution of single-molecule formal potentials E°′ for large π-conjugated molecules; theoretical studies are needed to understand the origins of this distribution. In this paper, we present a theoretical approach to determine E°′ for electrochemical reactions involving a single molecule interacting with an electrode represented as a metal nanocluster and apply this method to the Ag₂₀–pyridine system. The theory is based on the semiempirical INDO electronic structure approach, together with the COSMO solvation model and an approach for tuning the Fermi energy, in which the silver atomic orbital energies are varied until the ground singlet state of Ag₂₀–pyridine matches the lowest triplet energy, corresponding to electron transfer from the metal cluster to pyridine. Based on this theory, we find that the variation of E°′ with the structure of the Ag₂₀–pyridine system is only weakly correlated with changes in either the ground-state interaction energy or the charge-transfer excited-state energies at zero applied potential, which shows the importance of calculations that include an applied potential in determining the variation of formal potential with geometry. Factors which determine E°′ include wavefunction overlap for geometries when pyridine is close to the surface, and electrostatics when the molecule-cluster separation is large.

Electromagnetic theories of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

A fundamental theoretical understanding of SERS, and SERS hotspots, leads to new design principles for SERS substrates and new applications in nanomaterials and chemical analysis.

Imaging out-of-plane polarized emission patterns on gap mode SERS substrates: from high molecular coverage to the single molecule regime

Gap mode surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates are created when a single nanoparticle is deposited on a thin metal film, creating a region of significant electromagnetic field enhancement in the gap between the nanoparticle and the film due to excitation of a vertically-oriented, out-of-plane dipole plasmon mode, e.g. the gap plasmon. When molecules are located in the gap and couple to the gap plasmon mode, the resulting emission is polarized perpendicular to the thin film, generating SERS emission patterns that have a characteristic donut shape. We analyze these SERS emission patterns using a dipole emission model and extract out-of-plane and in-plane emission angles associated with the gap plasmon mode. Fluctuations in both of these angles reveal dynamic heterogeneity due to molecular motion within the hot spot that changes as a function of molecular coverage. We also reveal static heterogeneity associated with structural defects in the thin film component of the gap mode substrates, indicating that even nanometer-scale surface roughness can impact the quality of gap mode emission.

In situ construction of polymer-encapsulated Au nanoparticle dimers based on a C–C coupling reaction

A polymer-encapsulated Au nanoparticle dimer was fabricated via C–C coupling reaction. The strong effect of LSPR, SERS and SPR catalysis were observed in the gap. It is expected to provide rich information for understanding SERS mechanism.

Enhanced detection of explosives by turn-on resonance Raman upon host–guest complexation in solution and the solid state

Being colour coordinated allows turn on detection of nitroaromatics by combining molecular recognition with resonant enhancement of the Raman spectra.

High-yield colloidal synthesis of monometallic Au nanorod–Au nanoparticle dimers and their application in SERS

Dimeric nanostructures have attracted much attention owing to their unique structure and excellent physiochemical properties.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy introduced into the International Standard Organization (ISO) regulations as an alternative method for detection and identification of pathogens in the food industry

We show that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) can serve as a fast, reliable, and easy method for detection and identification of food-borne bacteria, namely Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Cronobacter spp., in different types of food matrices (salmon, eggs, powdered infant formula milk, mixed herbs, respectively). The main aim of this work was to introduce the SERS technique into three ISO (6579:2002; 11290-1:1996/A1:2004; 22964:2006) standard procedures required for detection of these bacteria in food. Our study demonstrates that the SERS technique is effective in distinguishing very closely related bacteria within a genus grown on solid and liquid media. The advantages of the proposed ISO-SERS method for bacteria identification include simplicity and reduced time of analysis, from almost 144 h required by standard methods to 48 h for the SERS-based approach. Additionally, PCA allows one to perform statistical classification of studied bacteria and to identify the spectrum of an unknown sample. Calculated first and second principal components (PC-1, PC-2) account for 96, 98, and 90% of total variance in the spectra and enable one to identify the Salmonella spp., L. monocytogenes, and Cronobacter spp., respectively. Moreover, the presented study demonstrates the excellent possibility for simultaneous detection of analyzed food-borne bacteria in one sample test (98% of PC-1 and PC-2) with a goal of splitting the data set into three separated clusters corresponding to the three studied bacteria species. The studies described in this paper suggest that SERS represents an alternative to standard microorganism diagnostic procedures. Graphical Abstract New approach of the SERS strategy for detection and identification of food-borne bacteria, namely S. enterica, L. monocytogenes, and C. sakazakii in selected food matrices.

Morphology Effects of Cap-shaped Silver Nanoparticle Films as a SERS Platform

In this paper, we evaluate randomly adsorbed cap-shaped silver nanoparticles for applications to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, SERS. They were prepared by depositing silver on top of surface-adsorbed monodisperse SiO2 nanospheres, in a manner similar to the method for preparing metal film on nanosphere, MFON, but one major difference lies in the fact that nanospheres are randomly adsorbed rather than as a close-packed MFON. With random MFON, it is possible to incorporate nanospheres with more than one size. Mixing has been found to increase SERS performance. More specifically, by using 50 and 100 nm nanospheres, we found that substrates containing both types outperform substrates prepared from 100% of either 50 or 100 nm nanospheres. As evaluated by spectrophotometry, this increase could not be attributed to an increase in the extinction coefficient of the substrate at the irradiation wavelength of SERS measurements.

Single-Molecule Chemistry with Surface- and Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Single-molecule (SM) surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) have emerged as analytical techniques for characterizing molecular systems in nanoscale environments. SERS and TERS use plasmonically enhanced Raman scattering to characterize the chemical information on single molecules. Additionally, TERS can image single molecules with subnanometer spatial resolution. In this review, we cover the development and history of SERS and TERS, including the concept of SERS hot spots and the plasmonic nanostructures necessary for SM detection, the past and current methodologies for verifying SMSERS, and investigations into understanding the signal heterogeneities observed with SMSERS. Moving on to TERS, we cover tip fabrication and the physical origins of the subnanometer spatial resolution. Then, we highlight recent advances of SMSERS and TERS in fields such as electrochemistry, catalysis, and SM electronics, which all benefit from the vibrational characterization of single molecules. SMSERS and TERS provide new insights on molecular behavior that would otherwise be obscured in an ensemble-averaged measurement.

Diagnosing clean margins through Raman spectroscopy in human and animal mammary tumour surgery: a short review

Breast cancer frequency in human and other mammal female populations has worryingly increased lately. The acute necessity for taxonomy of the aetiological factors along with seeking for new diagnostic tools and therapy procedures aimed at reducing mortality have yielded in an intense research effort worldwide. Surgery is a regular method to counteract extensive development of breast cancer and prevent metastases provided that negative surgical margins are achieved. This highly technical challenge requires fast, extremely sensitive and selective discrimination between malignant and benign tissues even down to molecular level. The particular advantages of Raman spectroscopy, such as high chemical specificity, and the ability to measure raw samples and optical responses in the visible or near-infrared spectral range, have recently recommended it as a means with elevated potential in precise diagnostic in oncology surgery. This review spans mainly the latter 10 years of exceptional efforts of scientists implementing Raman spectroscopy as a nearly real-time diagnostic tool for clean margins assessment in mastectomy and lumpectomy. Although greatly contributing to medical discoveries for the wealth of humanity, animals as patients have benefitted less from advances in surgery diagnostic using Raman spectroscopy. This work also dedicates a few lines to applications of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy in veterinary oncological surgery.

Synthesis and sensing properties of D5h pentagonal silver star nanoparticles

In this work, we use silver decahedral nanoparticle (AgDeNP) seeds to synthesize pentagonal silver stars (AgStDeNPs) and study the sensing properties of these nanoparticles. The regrowth process of AgStDeNPs is kinetically-controlled, so the purity of the seed NPs is critical to avoid secondary deposition in the highly non-equilibrium reduction. To control the regrowth process, surface blocking with sodium polyacrylate (PANa) was implemented. PANa moderates rough silver nanostructures typically obtained by reduction with ascorbic acid. To modulate polymer binding to the surface and thus to tune surface blocking, pH served as a key synthetic parameter. Under optimal regrowth conditions, new sliver was deposited on the highest energy sites of the decahedra - the vertices of the rims - to yield pentagonal stars. The universality of this regrowth process was established with several different seed particles. The sharpness and size of the stellated tips are tunable by the amount of added silver. Gold deposition onto AgStDeNPs enables the preparation of diverse structures with enhanced stability. Ease of transformation, e.g. rounding, of star branches opens a promising venue for enhanced SPR sensing. Also, AgStDeNPs enable femtomolar detection of 5,5-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) in SERS.

Nanoporous Silver Film Fabricated by Oxygen Plasma: A Facile Approach for SERS Substrates

Nanoporous metal films are promising substrates for surfaced-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurement, owing to their homogeneity, large surface area, and abundant hot-spots. Herein, a facile procedure was developed to fabricate nanoporous Ag film on various substrate surfaces. Thermally deposited Ag film was first treated with O2 plasma, resulting in porous Ag/AgxO film (AgxO-NF) with nanoscale feature. Sodium citrate was then used to reduce AgxO to Ag, forming nanoporous Ag film (AgNF) with similar morphology. The AgNF substrate demonstrates 30-fold higher Raman intensity than Ag film over polystyrene nanospheres (d = 600 nm) using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as the sensing molecule. Comparing with ordinary Raman measurement on 4-MBA solution, an enhancement factor of ∼6 × 10(6) was determined for AgNF. The AgNF substrate was evaluated for benzoic acid, 4-nitrophenol, and 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate, showing high SERS sensitivity for chemicals that bind weakly to Ag surface and molecules with relatively small Raman cross section at micromolar concentration. In addition to its simplicity, the procedure can be applied to various materials such as transparency film, filter paper, hard polystyrene film, and aluminum foil, revealing similar Raman sensitivity. By testing the durability of the substrate, we found that the AgxO films can be stored in ambient conditions for more than 90 days and still deliver the same SERS intensity if the films are treated with sodium citrate before use. These results demonstrate the advantage of the proposed approach for mass production of low-cost, sensitive, and durable SERS substrates. The transferable nature of these AgNF to different flexible surfaces also allows their easy integration with other sensing schemes.

Reproducible Ultrahigh SERS Enhancement in Single Deterministic Hotspots Using Nanosphere-Plane Antennas Under Radially Polarized Excitation

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in a nanometer size hotspot has empowered the investigation of chemical structures and dynamic behaviors of one and a few molecules. However, further advancement is hindered by lack of large enough yet reproducible enhancement in single deterministic hotspots. To resolve this problem, here we introduce a nanosphere-plane antenna under radially polarized laser excitation experiment, which provides an electromagnetic enhancement of 10^9~10 at the gap of each individual nanosphere-plane antenna and a root-mean-square error down to 10^0.08 between them. The experiment also reveals a nonlinear SERS behavior with less than one plasmon, which is also observed within a single hotspot. The unprecedented simultaneous achievement of ultrahigh enhancement and reproducibility in deterministic individual hotspots is attributed to the combination of a well-controlled hotspot geometry, the efficient coupling between vertical antenna and laser which produces orders of magnitude higher enhancement than previous excitation methods, and low power operation which is critical for high reproducibility. Our method opens a path for systematic studies on single and few molecule SERS and their surface chemistry in an in-situ and well-controlled manner.

Immunochemical Micro Imaging Analyses for the Detection of Proteins in Artworks

The present review is aimed at reporting on the most advanced and recent applications of immunochemical imaging techniques for the localization of proteins within complex and multilayered paint stratigraphies. Indeed, a paint sample is usually constituted by the superimposition of different layers whose characterization is fundamental in the evaluation of the state of conservation and for addressing proper restoration interventions. Immunochemical methods, which are based on the high selectivity of antigen-antibody reactions, were proposed some years ago in the field of cultural heritage. In addition to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for protein identification, immunochemical imaging methods have also been explored in the last decades, thanks to the possibility to localize the target analytes, thus increasing the amount of information obtained and thereby reducing the number of samples and/or analyses needed for a comprehensive characterization of the sample. In this review, chemiluminescent, spectroscopic and electrochemical imaging detection methods are discussed to illustrate potentialities and limits of advanced immunochemical imaging systems for the analysis of paint cross-sections.

High Raman-to-fluorescence ratio of Rhodamine 6G excited with 532 nm laser wavelength using a closely packed, self-assembled monolayer of silver nanoparticles

A highly efficient Raman-to-fluorescence ratio of Rhodamine 6G is obtained by means of 532 nm laser wavelength, which is in close proximity of the dye's absorption maximum. Closely packed, gap-filled self-assembled monolayers of silver nanoparticles were produced to observe the Raman signals of Rhodamine 6G. Two mechanisms contribute to detect the Raman signals of the fluorescent sample: surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and nanomaterial surface energy transfer (NSET). Self-assembled monolayers of silver nanoparticles with different coverage densities and also those filled with probe molecules were prepared through variations of the substrate's immersion time in a nanoparticle solution and drying the substrate, respectively. Examination of the effects of these two factors on the plasmonic response and SERS efficiency of the substrate revealed that in a gap-filled dense coverage, near-field interactions dominate, which remarkably increase the Raman-to-fluorescence ratio (RFR). To have a perfect dense coverage, the efficient immersion time was obtained at about 48 h. Drying the substrates also caused further enhancement in RFR through filling interparticle spaces with dye molecules and, accordingly, an increase in NSET efficiency.

Nanostructured plasmonic substrates for use as SERS sensors

Plasmonic nanostructures strongly localize electric fields on their surfaces via the collective oscillations of conducting electrons under stimulation by incident light at a certain wavelength. Molecules adsorbed onto the surfaces of plasmonic structures experience a strongly enhanced electric field due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which amplifies the Raman scattering signal obtained from these adsorbed molecules. This phenomenon is referred to as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Because Raman spectra serve as molecular fingerprints, SERS has been intensively studied for its ability to facilely detect molecules and provide a chemical analysis of a solution. Further enhancements in the Raman intensity and therefore higher sensitivity in SERS-based molecular analysis have been achieved by designing plasmonic nanostructures with a controlled size, shape, composition, and arrangement. This review paper focuses on the current state of the art in the fabrication of SERS-active substrates and their use as chemical and biosensors. Starting with a brief description of the basic principles underlying LSPR and SERS, we discuss three distinct nanofabrication methods, including the bottom-up assembly of nanoparticles, top-down nanolithography, and lithography-free random nanoarray formation. Finally, typical applications of SERS-based sensors are discussed, along with their perspectives and challenges.

Enhancement of two-photon photoluminescence and SERS for low-coverage gold films

Electromagnetic field enhancement (FE) effects occurring in thin gold films 3-12-nm are investigated with two-photon photoluminescence (TPL) and Raman scanning optical microscopies. The samples are characterized using scanning electron microscopy images and linear optical spectroscopy. TPL images exhibit a strong increase in the level of TPL signals for films thicknesses 3-8-nm, near the percolation threshold. For some thicknesses, TPL measurements reveal super-cubic dependences on the incident power. We ascribe this feature to the occurrence of very strongly localized and enhanced electromagnetic fields due to multiple light scattering in random nanostructures that might eventually lead to white-light generation. Raman images exhibit increasing Raman signals when decreasing the film thickness from 12 to 6-nm and decreasing signal for the 3-nm-film. This feature correlates with the TPL observations indicating that highest FE is to be expected near the percolation threshold.

Plasmon-Driven Dynamic Response of a Hierarchically Structural Silver-Decorated Nanorod Array for Sub-10 nm Nanogaps

Plasmonic nanogaps serve as a useful configuration for light concentration and local field amplification owing to the extreme localization of surface plasmons. Here, a smart plasmonic nanogap device is fabricated by the dynamic response of an Ag decorated hierarchically structural vertical polymer nanorod array under the light irradiation. Seven nanorods in one unit bend because of plasmonic heating effect and they are centrally collected due to the attraction of the plasmon-induced polaritons, leading to the significantly enhanced local electromagnetic field at the sub-10 nm gaps among the constricted nanorod tops. Compared with tuning capillarity in microscale by wetting and drying, using light as external stimuli is much easier and more tunable in nanoscale. This plasmonic nanogap device is used for a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. Its hydrophobic surface with a contact angle of 142 degree can make the probed aqueous solution only access to the Ag tips of nanorods. Thus, the analytes can be driven to the "hot spot" regions where located at the tops of nanorods during the solvent evaporation process, which is beneficial to SERS detection. Discovery of this smart plasmon-driven process broadens the scope for further functionality of both the dynamic nanostructure design and the smart plasmonic devices in the communities of chemistry, biomedicine, and microfluidic engineering.

Molecular Plasmonics

In this review, we survey recent advances in the field of molecular plasmonics beyond the traditional sensing modality. Molecular plasmonics is explored in the context of the complex interaction between plasmon resonances and molecules and the ability of molecules to support plasmons self-consistently. First, spectroscopic changes induced by the interaction between molecular and plasmonic resonances are discussed, followed by examples of how tuning molecular properties leads to active molecular plasmonic systems. Next, the role of the position and polarizability of a molecular adsorbate on surface-enhanced Raman scattering signals is examined experimentally and theoretically. Finally, we introduce recent research focused on using molecules as plasmonic materials. Each of these examples is intended to highlight the role of molecules as integral components in coupled molecule-plasmon systems, as well as to show the diversity of applications in molecular plasmonics.