Fabricating an apparatus for use in a sensing application

An apparatus for use in a sensing application, said apparatus comprising:

• a component layer comprising a plurality of physical features;
• a plurality of clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles attached to the component layer, wherein the Raman-active material nano-particles in each of the plurality of clusters are arranged in a spatial configuration with respect to each other, and wherein the spatial configuration includes a gap between at least two of the Raman-active material nano-particles;
• and
• wherein the physical features in the component layer are to enhance Raman signals emitted from molecules located near the clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles.

A sensing apparatus comprising:

• a component layer comprising a plurality of physical features;
• a plurality of clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles attached to the component layer, where the Raman-active material nano-particles in each of the plurality of clusters are arranged in a spatial configuration with respect to each other, and wherein the spatial configuration includes a gap between at least two of the Raman-active material nano-particles, and wherein the physical features in the component layer are to enhance Raman signals emitted from molecules located near the clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles;
• an illumination source to illuminate the plurality of clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles;
• and
• a detector positioned to detect Raman scattered light emitted from an analyte molecule positioned near the plurality of clusters of Raman-active material nano-particles.