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A Filter-based Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Assay for Rapid Detection of Chemical Contaminants
Published on: February 19, 2016
Portable fiber sensors based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Xuan Yang1, Zuki Tanaka, Rebecca Newhouse
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|January 5, 2011
Summary
Portable molecular sensing systems using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) fiber probes demonstrate high sensitivity. These compact systems offer a promising approach for on-site chemical detection and analysis.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Materials Science
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) offers high sensitivity for molecular detection.
- Existing SERS systems can be bulky and lack portability.
- Development of compact and field-deployable SERS systems is crucial for various applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate two portable molecular sensing systems utilizing SERS.
- To evaluate the sensitivity and performance of fiber-based SERS probes.
- To assess the feasibility of these systems for on-site molecular analysis.
Main Methods:
- Experimental demonstration of two portable SERS systems.
- Utilizing tip-coated multimode fiber (TCMMF) and liquid core photonic crystal fiber (LCPCF) as SERS probes.
- Testing with Rhodamine 6G as a model analyte and comparing sensitivity against direct sampling and a bulky system.
Main Results:
- The TCMMF-portable SERS system showed 2-3 times higher sensitivity than direct sampling.
- The LCPCF-portable SERS system achieved up to 59 times the sensitivity of direct sampling.
- Sensitivity of the LCPCF system was comparable to a bulky fiber-based SERS system.
Conclusions:
- Portable SERS systems based on TCMMF and LCPCF probes are experimentally validated.
- These fiber-based probes offer significant sensitivity enhancements for molecular detection.
- The integration of fiber SERS probes with portable spectrometers presents a promising, compact, and flexible sensing solution.
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