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Sasso A, Capaccio A, Rusciano G. Exploring Reliable and Efficient Plasmonic Nanopatterning for Surface- and Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16164. [PMID: 38003354 PMCID: PMC10671507 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is of growing interest for a wide range of applications, especially for biomedical analysis, thanks to its sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing capabilities. A crucial role for successful applications of SERS is played by the development of reproducible, efficient, and facile procedures for the fabrication of metal nanostructures (SERS substrates). Even more challenging is to extend the fabrication techniques of plasmonic nano-textures to atomic force microscope (AFM) probes to carry out tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) experiments, in which spatial resolution below the diffraction limit is added to the peculiarities of SERS. In this short review, we describe recent studies performed by our group during the last ten years in which novel nanofabrication techniques have been successfully applied to SERS and TERS experiments for studying bio-systems and molecular species of environmental interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Sasso
- Department of Physics “E. Pancini”, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Angela Capaccio
- Department of Physics “E. Pancini”, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (G.R.)
- Institute of Food Sciences, URT-CNR Department of Biology, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Giulia Rusciano
- Department of Physics “E. Pancini”, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80126 Naples, Italy; (A.C.); (G.R.)
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Seweryn S, Skirlińska-Nosek K, Sofińska K, Szajna K, Kobierski J, Awsiuk K, Szymoński M, Lipiec E. Optimization of tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for probing the chemical structure of DNA. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 281:121595. [PMID: 35843060 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tip-enhanced Raman (TER) spectroscopy combines the nanometric spatial resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the chemical sensitivity of Raman spectroscopy. Thus, it provides a unique possibility to obtain spectroscopic information on individual, nanometre-size molecules. The enhancement of Raman scattering cross-section requires modification of the AFM tip apex with a plasmonic nanostructure. Despite numerous advances of TERS research, attaining good reproducibility and stable enhancement is still challenging mainly due to the lack of optimized probes and sample preparation procedures. Moreover, current nanospectroscopic standard samples - carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have relatively simple chemical structure, and therefore, they are far from real-life analytes, especially biological samples. In this work we focus on the optimization of TERS technique for efficient DNA measurements, including: a preparation of atomically-flat gold substrates, fixative free deposition of DNA and optimization of TERS probe preparation. Here we demonstrate a comprehensive comparison of the efficacy of several types of TERS probes. Applying the systematic approach, we obtained reliable and reproducible TER spectra of DNA. Thus, we provide preparation procedures of a new standard TERS sample, TERS substrates and TERS probes. Our research provides a solid foundation for further research on DNA and its interaction with other biomolecules upon biologically significant processes such as DNA damage and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Seweryn
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Kamila Sofińska
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Konrad Szajna
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Jan Kobierski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kamil Awsiuk
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Marek Szymoński
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewelina Lipiec
- M. Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Kraków, Poland.
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Pienpinijtham P, Kitahama Y, Ozaki Y. Progress of tip-enhanced Raman scattering for the last two decades and its challenges in very recent years. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:5265-5288. [PMID: 35332899 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr00274d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) has recently attracted remarkable attention as a novel nano-spectroscopy technique. TERS, which provides site-specific information, can be performed on any material surface regardless of morphology. Moreover, it can be applied in various environments, such as ambient air, ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), solutions, and electrochemical environments. This review reports on one hand progress of TERS for the last two decades, and on the other hand, its challenges in very recent years. Part of the progress of TERS starts with the prehistory and history of TERS, and then, the characteristics and advantages of TERS are described. Significant emphasis is put on the development of TERS instrumentation and equipment such as ultrahigh vacuum TERS, liquid TERS, electrochemical-TERS, and tip-preparations. Applications of TERS, particularly those with nanocarbons, biological materials, and surface and interface analysis, are mentioned in some detail. In the part on challenges, we focus on the very recent advances in TERS; progress in spatial resolution to the angstrom scale is the hottest topic. Recent TERS studies performed under UHV, for example chemical imaging at the angstrom scale and Raman detection of bond breaking and making of a chemisorbed up-standing single molecules at single-bond level, are reviewed. Of course, there is no clear border between the two parts. In the last part the perspective of TERS is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prompong Pienpinijtham
- Sensor Research Unit (SRU), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
- National Nanotechnology Center of Advanced Structural and Functional Nanomaterials, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Bioactive Resources for Innovative Clinical Applications, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Yasutaka Kitahama
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan.
| | - Yukihiro Ozaki
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337, Japan.
- Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192, Japan
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Bartolomeo GL, Zhang Y, Kumar N, Zenobi R. Molecular Perturbation Effects in AFM-Based Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy: Contact versus Tapping Mode. Anal Chem 2021; 93:15358-15364. [PMID: 34767337 PMCID: PMC8691690 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c03004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
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Tip-enhanced
Raman spectroscopy (TERS) is a powerful tool for nondestructive
and label-free surface chemical characterization at nanometer length
scales. However, despite being considered nondestructive, the interaction
of the TERS probe used in the analysis can alter the molecular organization
of the sample. In this study, we investigate the role of the atomic
force microscopy (AFM) feedback (contact mode and tapping mode) on
molecular perturbation in TERS analysis of soft samples using a self-assembled
monolayer (SAM) of 2-chloro-4-nitrobenzene-1-thiol (Cl-NBT) as a test
sample. Surprisingly, the tapping mode shows a consistently higher
TERS signal resulting from a minimal perturbation of the Cl-NBT SAM
compared to the contact mode. This study provides novel insights into
the choice of the correct AFM-TERS operation mode for nanoscale chemical
analysis of soft and delicate samples and is expected to expedite
the growing application of TERS in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yao Zhang
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China.,State Key Laboratory of Quantum Optics and Quantum Optics Devices, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Naresh Kumar
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Renato Zenobi
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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He L, Rahaman M, Madeira TI, Zahn DR. Understanding the Role of Different Substrate Geometries for Achieving Optimum Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Sensitivity. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:376. [PMID: 33540743 PMCID: PMC7913005 DOI: 10.3390/nano11020376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) has experienced tremendous progress over the last two decades. Despite detecting single molecules and achieving sub-nanometer spatial resolution, attaining high TERS sensitivity is still a challenging task due to low reproducibility of tip fabrication, especially regarding very sharp tip apices. Here, we present an approach for achieving strong TERS sensitivity via a systematic study of the near-field enhancement properties in the so-called gap-mode TERS configurations using the combination of finite element method (FEM) simulations and TERS experiments. In the simulation study, a gold tip apex is fixed at 80 nm of diameter, and the substrate consists of 20 nm high gold nanodiscs with diameter varying from 5 nm to 120 nm placed on a flat extended gold substrate. The local electric field distributions are computed in the spectral range from 500 nm to 800 nm with the tip placed both at the center and the edge of the gold nanostructure. The model is then compared with the typical gap-mode TERS configuration, in which a tip of varying diameter from 2 nm to 160 nm is placed in the proximity of a gold thin film. Our simulations show that the tip-nanodisc combined system provides much improved TERS sensitivity compared to the conventional gap-mode TERS configuration. We find that for the same tip diameter, the spatial resolution achieved in the tip-nanodisc model is much better than that observed in the conventional gap-mode TERS, which requires a very sharp metal tip to achieve the same spatial resolution on an extended metal substrate. Finally, TERS experiments are conducted on gold nanodisc arrays using home-built gold tips to validate our simulation results. Our simulations provide a guide for designing and realization of both high-spatial resolution and strong TERS intensity in future TERS experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahfujur Rahaman
- Semiconductor Physics, Chemnitz University of Technology, D-09107 Chemnitz, Germany; (L.H.); (T.I.M.); (D.R.T.Z.)
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