Direct detection of DNA using 3D surface enhanced Raman scattering hotspot matrix

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are evaporatively self-assembled into the 3D surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) hotspot matrix with the assistant of glycerol to improve the spectral reproducibility in direct DNA detection. AgNPs and DNA in the glycerol-stabilized 3D SERS hotspot matrix are found to form flexible sandwich structures through electrostatic interaction where neighboring AgNPs create uniform and homogeneous localized surface plasmon resonance coupling environments for central DNA. Nearly two orders of magnitude extra SERS enhancement, more stable peak frequency and narrower peak full width at half maximum can therefore be obtained in DNA SERS spectra, which ensures highly stable and reproducible SERS signals in direct detection of both single strand DNA and double strand DNA utilizing the 3D SERS hotspot matrix. By normalizing the SERS spectra using phosphate backbone as internal standard, identification of single base variation in oligonucleotides, determination of DNA hybridization events and recognition of chemical modification on bases (hexanethiol-capped at 5' end) have been demonstrated experimentally. This proposed 3D SERS hotspot matrix opens a novel perspective in manipulating plasmonic nanoparticles to construct SERS platforms and would make the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy a more practical and reliable tool in direct DNA detection.