SERS-based pesticide detection by using nanofinger sensors

Simple, sensitive, and rapid detection of trace levels of extensively used and highly toxic pesticides are in urgent demand for public health. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based sensor was designed to achieve ultrasensitive and simple pesticide sensing. We developed a portable sensor system composed of high performance and reliable gold nanofinger sensor strips and a custom-built portable Raman spectrometer. Compared to the general procedure and previously reported studies that are limited to laboratory settings, our analytical method is simple, sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective. Based on the SERS results, the chemical interaction of two pesticides, chlorpyrifos (CPF) and thiabendazole (TBZ), with gold nanofingers was studied to determine a fingerprint for each pesticide. The portable SERS-sensor system was successfully demonstrated to detect CPF and TBZ pesticides within 15 min with a detection limit of 35 ppt in drinking water and 7 ppb on apple skin, respectively.

Deterministic nanoparticle assemblies: from substrate to solution

The deterministic assembly of metallic nanoparticles is an exciting field with many potential benefits. Many promising techniques have been developed, but challenges remain, particularly for the assembly of larger nanoparticles which often have more interesting plasmonic properties. Here we present a scalable process combining the strengths of top down and bottom up fabrication to generate deterministic 2D assemblies of metallic nanoparticles and demonstrate their stable transfer to solution. Scanning electron and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of these assemblies suggested the formation of nanobridges between touching nanoparticles that hold them together so as to maintain the integrity of the assembly throughout the transfer process. The application of these nanoparticle assemblies as solution-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) materials is demonstrated by trapping analyte molecules in the nanoparticle gaps during assembly, yielding uniformly high enhancement factors at all stages of the fabrication process.

Fabrication of deterministic nanostructure assemblies with sub-nanometer spacing using a nanoimprinting transfer technique

Deterministic patterning or assembly of nanoparticles often requires complex processes that are not easily incorporated into system architectures of arbitrary design. We have developed a technique to fabricate deterministic nanoparticle assemblies using simple and inexpensive nanoimprinting equipment and procedures. First, a metal film is evaporated onto flexible polymer pillars made by nanoimprinting. The resulting metal caps on top of the pillars can be pulled into assemblies of arbitrary design by collapsing the pillars in a well-controlled manner. The nanoparticle assemblies are then transferred from the pillars onto a new substrate via nanoimprinting with the aid of either cold welding or chemical bonding. Using this technique, a variety of patterned nanoparticle assemblies of Au and Ag with a critical dimension less than 2 nm were fabricated and transferred to silicon-, glass-, and metal-coated substrates. Separating the nanostructure assembly from the final architecture removes significant design constraints from devices incorporating nanoparticle assemblies. The application of this process as a technique for generating surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates is presented.