# US 2013/0156938 A1 · Enhanced luminescence from nanopolished surfaces and plate wells

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- Number: US 2013/0156938 A1
- Document ID: US20130156938A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/627,387
- Filed: 2012-09-26
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-26
- Assignees: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Inventors: CHRIS D. GEDDES; ANATOLIY I. DRAGAN
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156938A1

## CPC

- C09D 5/22: Luminous paints {(luminescent compositions C09K11/00)}
- B05D 1/06: Applying particulate materials
- C09D 1/00: Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances
- C23C 24/08: by application of heat or pressure and heat (C23C24/04 takes precedence)
- G01N 21/64: Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
- G01N 21/648: {using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence}
- G01N 21/6452: {Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates}
- Y10T 428/12028: Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, etc.]
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a new silver coating/nanoparticle scaffold that significantly enhances the luminescence of near-field fluorophores via the metal enhanced fluorescence phenomenon. The silver coating/nanoparticle scaffold can be used for numerous applications in metal-enhanced fluorescence.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A substrate comprising a multiplicity of discrete metallic layers, wherein each layer comprises discrete metallic nanoparticles thereby providing the substrate with enhanced luminescence.

### Claim 2

A method of fabricating a metallized substrate that includes multiple layers of metallic nanoparticles that exhibit increased metal enhanced fluorescence, the method comprising:
a) providing a substrate;
b) providing a metal containing solution, wherein the metal has plasmonic activity, contacting the metal containing solution with the substrate and heating same to a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 60° C. for a deposition time period ranging from 1 minute to 7 minutes to provide for deposition of metallic nanoparticles;
c) transferring the heated substrate to a freezing chamber for a time period ranging from about 1 minute to 4 minutes to form a chilled substrate;
d) transferring the chilled substrate back to a heating environment for a time period as in step b) or shorter than the previous heating period and in the same heating temperature range;
e) removing the solution; and
f) repeating steps b) and c) for at least one more time and more preferably from 4 to 19 times to provide a multiplicity of layers of metallic nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are discrete and substantially the same size.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal containing solution comprises AgNO3 with a concentration of about 1% to about 5%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the metal containing solution further comprising NaOH having a concentration of about 5% to about 20% in an amount from about 50 ul to about 100 ul, NH4OH having a concentration of about 20% to 40% in an amount from about 300 ul to about 700 ul and glucose in an amount from about 2 ml to about 7 ml to provide from about 5 to 15% w/v of glucose.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metal containing solution comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Silver, Gold, Aluminium, Zinc, Rhodium, Copper, Nickel, Palladium, Indium, Tin, Iron, Tungsten, Platinum, Germanium and a combination thereof

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is fabricated from glass, quartz, metallic oxide or a polymeric material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metallic nanoparticles have an approximate cross-sectional diameter from about 100 nm to about 350 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the heating deposition time is from about 4 to 7 minutes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the discrete layers of metallic nanoparticles is from 2 to 12 layers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the metal containing solution comprises 200 μl of sodium hydroxide solution (0.5% w/v), 60 ml of AgNO3 (0.83% w/v), 2 ml of ammonium hydroxide (30% solution) and 15 ml of fresh D-glucose solution (4.8% w/v).

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the heating deposition time is repeated 7 to 12 times to provide 7 to 12 discrete layers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is a High Throughput Screening (HTS) plate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is plasma treated to provide a hydrophilic surface.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate is a substantially flat surface.

### Claim 14

A detection method exhibiting increased fluorescence emitted from the system during metal-enhanced fluorescence sensing, the detection method comprising:
i) providing a metallized surface container with a multiplicities of layers of metallic nanoparticles, the metallized surface container fabricated by the following method,
a) providing a plasma cleaned substrate type container having at least a bottom point and sides attached to the bottom point;
b) providing a silver containing solution and pouring into the plasma cleaned substrate container and heating same to a temperature of from about 30° C. to about 50° C. for a time period ranging from 1 minute to 4 minutes to form a heated substrate;
c) transferring the heated substrate to a freezing chamber for a time period range from about 1 minute to 4 minutes to form a cold substrate;
d) transferring the cold substrate back to a heating environment for a time being the same as step b) or shorter than the previous heating period;
e) removing the solution; and
f) repeating steps b) and c) from at least one more time, and more preferably from about 4 to 19 times to provide a multiplicity of layers of silver nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are distinct and substantially the same size;
ii) providing an intrinsic or extrinsic fluorophore for disposing near the near the surface of the top layer of nanoparticles;
iii) exciting the fluorophore with an electromagnetic source to cause fluorescing; and
iv) measuring the emissions from the system.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the intrinsic or extrinsic fluorophore is positioned from about 5 nm to about 30 nm from the top layer of metallic nanoparticles.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the emissions are in wavelengths from UV-visible to near IR.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the extrinsic fluorophore is attached to a biomolecule.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the metallic nanoparticles positioned on the top surface of the multiple layers have attached thereto receptor molecules having affinity for a ligand of interest suspected of being in a testing sample.