Using the nanoimprint-in-metal method to prepare corrugated metal structures for plasmonic biosensors through both...

In this study, we prepared metallic corrugated structures for use as highly sensitive plasmonic sensors. Relying on the direct nanoimprint-in-metal method, fabrication of this metallic corrugated structure was readily achieved in a single step. The metallic corrugated structures were capable of sensing both surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelengths and index-matching effects. The corrugated Au films exhibited high sensitivity (ca. 800 nm/RIU), comparable with or even higher than those of other reported SPR-based sensors. Because of the unique index-matching effect, refractometric sensing could also be performed by measuring the transmission intensity of the Au/substrate SPR mode-conveniently, without a spectrometer. In the last, we demonstrated the corrugated Au film was capable of sensing biomolecules, revealing the ability of the structure to be a highly sensitive biosensor.