# US 10,481,096 B2 · Method of detecting single molecules > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,096 B2 - Document ID: US10481096B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/990,933 - Filed: 2018-05-29 - Published: 2018-12-06 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-06 - Assignees: Tsinghua University; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Tsinghua University; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Zhen-Dong Zhu; Qun-Qing Li; Shou-Shan Fan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481096B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/658: {enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons} - B82Y 15/00: Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors - G01N 2021/651: {Cuvettes therefore} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES ## Abstract A method of detecting single molecule includes: providing a carrier, wherein the carrier includes a substrate, and a plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are located on the substrate; disposing single molecule samples on the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures; detecting the single molecule samples with a detector; wherein each three-dimensional nanostructure includes a first rectangular structure, a second rectangular structure, and a triangular prism structure; the first rectangular structure, the second rectangular structure, and the triangular prism structure are stacked in that order, a first width of a bottom surface of the triangular prism structure is equal to a second width of a first top surface of the second rectangular structure and greater than a third width of a second top surface of the first rectangular structure, and the first rectangular structure comprises a first metal and the triangular prism structure comprises a second metal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of detecting single molecules, the method comprising: providing a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate, and a plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are located on the substrate; disposing single molecule samples on the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures; and detecting the single molecule samples with a detector; wherein each three-dimensional nanostructure comprises a first rectangular structure, a second rectangular structure, and a triangular prism structure; the first rectangular structure is located on the substrate, the second rectangular structure is located on the first rectangular structure, the triangular prism structure is located on the second rectangular structure, a first width of a bottom surface of the triangular prism structure is equal to a second width of a first top surface of the second rectangular structure and greater than a third width of a second top surface of the first rectangular structure, and the first rectangular structure comprises a first metal and the triangular prism structure comprises a second metal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are strip raised structures, and the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are arranged side by side and extend along a straight line, a fold line, or a curve line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are continuous or discontinuous along an extending direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the triangular prism structure is completely coincident with the first top surface of the second rectangular structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein two adjacent three-dimensional nanostructures are substantially parallel with each other, and a distance between the two adjacent three-dimensional nanostructures is in a range of 40 nanometers to 450 nanometers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, and aluminum; and the second metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second rectangular structure is selected from the group consisting of chromium, thallium pentoxide, titanium dioxide, silicon, and silica. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first thickness of the first rectangular structure is in a range of 20 nanometers to 500 nanometers, a second thickness of the second rectangular structure is in a range of 5 nanometers to 100 nanometers, and a third thickness of the triangular prism structure is in a range of 40 nanometers to 800 nanometers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier further comprises a metal layer located on the triangular prism structure. ### Claim 10 A method of detecting single molecules, the method comprising: providing a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a substrate, and a plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are located on the substrate; disposing single molecule samples on the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures; and detecting the single molecule samples with a detector; wherein each three-dimensional nanostructure comprises a rectangular structure and a triangular prism structure, the rectangular structure is placed on the substrate, the triangular prism structure is located on the rectangular structure, the triangular prism structure comprises two second triangle surfaces and three rectangular surfaces, one of the three rectangular surfaces is defined as a bottom surface, a first width of the bottom surface of the triangular prism structure is greater than a second width of a top surface of the rectangular structure, the bottom surface of the triangular prism structure is in contact with the top surface of the rectangular structure, and the rectangular structure comprises a first metal and the triangular prism structure comprises a second metal, and the first metal is different from the second metal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, and aluminum; and the second metal is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein two adjacent three-dimensional nanostructures are substantially parallel with each other, and a distance between the two adjacent three-dimensional nanostructures is in a range of 40 nanometers to 450 nanometers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are strip raised structures, and the plurality of three-dimensional nanostructures are arranged side by side and extend along a straight line, a fold line, or a curve line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the carrier further comprises a metal layer located on the triangular prism structure.