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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection of Biomolecules Using EBL Fabricated Nanostructured Substrates
Published on: March 20, 2015
Hot-spot engineering in polygonal nanofinger assemblies for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
Fung Suong Ou1, Min Hu, Ivan Naumov
1Intelligent Infrastructure Lab, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California 94304, United States.
Nano Letters
|May 25, 2011
Summary
Controlled self-assembly of polygonal nanostructures creates complex plasmonic devices. The pentagonal array showed the highest Raman enhancement for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) applications.
Area of Science:
- Plasmonics
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Multiparticle assemblies of nanoscale structures are crucial for advanced plasmonic devices.
- Controlled fabrication of complex nanostructures with precise gaps is essential for device performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the controlled formation of polygonal metal nanostructure assemblies.
- To investigate the symmetry dependence of nanoplasmonic structures for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS).
- To guide the rational design of optimal SERS structures through electromagnetic simulations.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a hybrid approach combining top-down fabrication with self-assembly.
- Employing flexible polymer pillars that undergo self-coalescence via microcapillary forces.
- Forming polygonal arrays (digon to hexagon) with sub-nanometer gaps between gold nanoparticles.
Main Results:
- Successfully controlled the formation of various polygonal nanostructure assemblies.
- Determined the symmetry dependence of nanoplasmonic structures, identifying the pentagonal assembly for optimal SERS.
- Achieved sub-nanometer gaps between gold nanoparticles within the assemblies.
Conclusions:
- The hybrid fabrication and self-assembly method enables complex nanoplasmonic structures.
- Polygonal assembly symmetry significantly impacts SERS performance, with pentagons showing superior enhancement.
- Electromagnetic simulations are valuable for designing high-performance SERS substrates.
