# US 2019/0170650 A1 · Sers sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170650 A1 - Document ID: US20190170650A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/098,058 - Filed: 2016-07-21 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Ning Ge; Anita Rogacs; Steven J. Simske; Milo Overbay; Viktor Shkolnikov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170650A1 ## 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 - B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites - G01J 3/44: Raman spectrometry; Scattering spectrometry {; Fluorescence spectrometry} - G01N 21/65: Raman scattering - 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 - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) ## Abstract A surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor may include a nano structured surface and a nonstoichiometric oxide layer. The nano structured surfers may include a first peak, a second peak and a valley between the first peak and the second peak. The non-stoichiometric oxide layer may include a first portion on the first peak and a second portion on the second peak. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor comprising: a nano structured surface having a first peak, a second peak and a valley between the first peak and the second peak; and a non-stoichiometric oxide layer having a first portion on the first peak and a second portion on the second peak. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The SERS sensor of claim 1, wherein the non-stoichiometric oxide layer continuously extends from the first peak, across the valley, to the second peak. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The SERS sensor of claim 1, wherein valley omits the non-stoichiometric oxide layer such that the first portion and the second portion of the non-stoichiometric layer are spaced from one another by the valley. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The SERS sensor of claim 3, wherein the nano structured surface comprises a first pillar forming the first peak and a second pillar forming the second peak. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The SERS sensor of claim 4, wherein the first pillar and the second pillar are part of a pattern of pillars, each of the pillars of the pattern having a controlled predetermined spacing with respect to other pillars of the pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The SERS sensor of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the nonstoichiometric oxide layer on the first peak and the second peak, respectively, are uncovered. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The SERS sensor of claim 1, wherein the non-stoichiometric oxide layer comprises a material selected from a group of materials consisting of iron, tungsten, the actinide series, rare earth and transition metals and the lanthanide series. ### Claim 8 A method for forming a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensor (SERS) sensor, the method comprising: providing a nano structured surface having a first peak, a second peak and a valley between the first peak and the second peak; and forming a non-stoichiometric oxide layer having a first portion on the first peak and a second portion on the second peak. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein providing the nano structured surface comprises forming a first pillar having the first peak and a second pillar having the second peak. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein forming the non-stoichiometric oxide layer comprises coating the first peak and the second peak with the nonstoichiometric oxide layer with a process selected from a group of processes consisting of physical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first peak and the second peak are controllably coated with the nonstoichiometric oxide layer such that the first portion and the second portion are distinct islands of non-stoichiometric oxide material separated from one another. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising removing portions of the nonstoichiometric oxide layer such that the first portion and the second portion are distinct islands of non-stoichiometric oxide material separated from one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein forming the first pillar and the second pillar comprises forming a pattern of pillars including the first pillar and the second pillar, wherein each of the pillars of the pattern of pillars has a predetermined spacing with respect to other pillars of the pattern of pillars. ### Claim 14 A surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensor (SERS) sensor comprising: a substrate; a first column rising from the substrate, the first column having a first top surface comprising a nonstoichiometric oxide material; a second column rising from the substrate, having a second top surface comprising a nonstoichiometric oxide material, the first column and the second column having a predefined spacing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The SERS sensor of claim 14, wherein the non-stoichiometric oxide material forming the first top surface and the nonstoichiometric oxide material forming the second top surface comprises distinct islands of nonstoichiometric oxide material spaced from one another.