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Single-Molecule Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Measurements Enabled by Plasmonic DNA Origami Nanoantennas
Published on: July 21, 2023
Plasmonic Nanocrevice-Gap Nanosnowman Particles Enabling Colocalization of Raman Reporters with Super-Localized
Gyeong-Hwan Kim1,2, Yeong Seok Cha1, Yoonhee Kim1
1Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Gwanak-ro 1, Gwanak-gu, Seoul08826, South Korea.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|August 12, 2026
Summary
This study introduces gold nanocrevice-gap nanosnowman particles (AuNCNSs) for ultrasensitive molecular detection using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). These novel SERS probes achieve exceptional sensitivity and specificity for viral targets.
Area of Science:
- Plasmonics and Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) relies on localized electric fields (hotspots) in plasmonic nanostructures for ultrasensitive molecular detection.
- Reproducibly generating strong and quantifiable SERS signals is challenging due to difficulties in controlling hotspots and molecule positioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize novel plasmonic nanostructures for enhanced and controlled SERS signal generation.
- To develop a highly sensitive and specific immunoassay platform for biomolecular detection.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of gold nanocrevice-gap nanosnowman particles (AuNCNSs) using DNA-directed chemistry.
- Characterization of the superlocalized electric field and plasmonic properties of AuNCNSs.
- Development of a SERS tag-linked immunosorbent assay (SLISA) using antibody-functionalized AuNCNSs.
Main Results:
- AuNCNSs exhibit a capacitive plasmon mode with intense, broadly distributed near-field enhancement, achieving a SERS enhancement factor of ~3.1 × 10^10.
- A small fraction of Raman dyes within the nanocrevice gap contribute to the majority of the SERS signal, enabling efficient signal generation.
- The SLISA platform demonstrated a 100-fold increase in sensitivity compared to ELISA, detecting viral targets down to 10 fM with a dynamic range exceeding 5 orders of magnitude.
- Exceptional specificity was observed, with minimal signals for nonspecific targets.
Conclusions:
- AuNCNSs provide a robust platform for super-colocalizing Raman dyes and electric fields, leading to highly sensitive and quantifiable SERS detection.
- The design allows for reliable ligand modification on open nanoparticle surfaces, facilitating the development of advanced bioprobe platforms.
- The developed SLISA technology offers significant advantages in sensitivity and specificity for detecting viral targets and other biomarkers.
