# US 10,768,175 B2 · Plasmonic device, method of manufacturing a plasmonic device and method of analysis using a plasmonic device

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- Number: US 10,768,175 B2
- Document ID: US10768175B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/630,524
- Filed: 2017-06-22
- Published: 2017-12-28
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-23
- Assignees: The Univ. Court of the Univ. of Glasgow
- Applicants: The University Court of the University of Glasgow
- Inventors: Nikolaj Holledig Gadegaard; Affar Shahid Karimullah; Malcolm Kadodwala
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768175B2

## CPC

- G01N 33/54373: {involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings}
- G01N 21/27: using photo-electric detection (G01N21/31 takes precedence){; circuits for computing concentration (logarithmic circuits G06G7/24; photometric circuits in general G01J)}
- G01N 21/554: {detecting the surface plasmon resonance of nanostructured metals, e.g. localised surface plasmon resonance}
- G02B 1/002: {made of materials engineered to provide properties not available in nature, e.g. metamaterials}
- G02B 5/008: {Surface plasmon devices (diffractive gratings with a pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength G02B5/1809; surface plasmons in integrated optics G02B6/1226; optical analysis of materials by means of surface plasmons G01N21/553)}
- G02B 5/3058: {comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles}
- 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)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A plasmonic device is disclosed, the plasmonic device having a base substrate and an electrically conductive film formed on the base substrate. The base substrate has a reference upper surface and an arrangement of chiral nanostructures formed in relief from the reference upper surface. Each chiral nanostructure has a nanostructure upper surface which is disposed at a distance of at least 30 nm from the reference upper surface in a thickness direction. The electrically conductive film is formed on the nanostructure upper surface of each chiral nanostructure and on at least part of the reference upper surface of the base substrate. Also disclosed is a method of analysis of a biological material using the plasmonic device, by depositing the biological material onto the plasmonic device and irradiating the plasmonic device and the biological material with electromagnetic radiation. The arrangement of chiral nanostructures and electrically conductive film generates a superchiral electromagnetic field, the effect of the presence of the biological material on the superchiral electromagnetic field then being detected.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A plasmonic device comprising:
a base substrate formed from a polymer material, and
an electrically conductive film formed on the base substrate;
wherein the base substrate has;
a reference upper surface; and
an arrangement of chiral nanostructures formed in relief from the reference upper surface;
each chiral nanostructure having a nanostructure upper surface which is disposed at a distance of at least 30 nm from the reference upper surface in a thickness direction, wherein the chiral nanostructures formed in relief are formed as one of;
(i) indentations in the reference upper surface, with the nanostructure upper surface recessed from the reference upper surface; and
(ii) protrusions from the reference upper surface, with the nanostructure upper surface protruding from the reference upper surface; and
wherein the electrically conductive film is formed continuously on the nanostructure upper surface of each chiral nanostructure and on at least part of the reference upper surface of the base substrate with part of the electrically conductive film forming an electrical connection between the electrically conductive film on the nanostructure upper surface and the electrically conductive film on the said at least part of the reference upper surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the chiral nanostructures are formed as indentations in the reference upper surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The plasmonic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive film has a substantially uniform thickness.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The plasmonic device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electrically conductive film is less than the distance between the nanostructure upper surface and the reference upper surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The plasmonic device of claim 1, wherein thickness of the electrically conductive film is 50% or more of the distance between the nanostructure upper surface and the reference upper surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The plasmonic device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electrically conductive film is greater than the distance between the nanostructure upper surface and the reference upper surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The plasmonic device of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of chiral nanostructures consists of same-handedness chiral nanostructures.