Graphene Hybrids for Biological and Chemical Sensing
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsJoshua A. Robinson, Natalie Briggs, Kenneth Knappenberger, Tian Zhao
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Abstract
Embodiments relate to a layered material (having a substrate, at least a buffer layer, with zero or more growth layers) that has been intercalated via a process that decouples (physically and electronically) the buffer layer from the substrate, thereby resulting in the creation of few-atom thick metal layers that exhibit a range of optical properties, including plasmonic or electronic resonance, that enables superior optical (e.g. Raman) detection of molecules.
Claims20
A plasmonic or electronically resonant material, comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- an epitaxial growth layer comprising a graphene layer;
- and
- an interface layer formed between the graphene layer and the substrate, the interface layer comprising graphene passivated with intercalant.
A sensor system, comprising:
- a switch comprising a plasmonic or electronically resonant material, the plasmonic or electronically resonant material including:
- a substrate;
- and
- an epitaxial growth layer, comprising a graphene layer;
- and
- an interface layer formed between the graphene layer and the substrate, the interface layer comprising pristine graphene passivated with intercalant;
- wherein plasmons are generated in the interface layer when light is incident upon the plasmonic or electronically resonant material;
- and
- wherein the incident light couples with the plasmons to form surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs);
- and
- a detector configured to detect the SPPs.
A sensor system for Raman spectroscopy, comprising:
- a plasmonic or electronically resonant material including:
- a substrate;
- an epitaxial growth layer, comprising a graphene layer;
- and
- an interface layer formed between the graphene layer and the substrate, the interface layer comprising pristine graphene passivated with intercalant;
- wherein plasmons are generated in the interface layer when light is incident upon the plasmonic or electronically resonant material, the light being electromagnetic radiation emitted from a sample due to Raman scattering interactions induced in the sample;
- and
- wherein the incident light couples with the plasmons to form surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs);
- and
- a detector configured to detect the SPPs.
A compressed heterostucture plasmonic or electronically resonant material, comprising:
- a first substrate having a graphene layer formed thereon;
- a second substrate;
- and
- a metallic species disposed between the graphene layer and the second substrate;
- wherein the first substrate and second substrate are compressed under heat and pressure to form a layered heterostructure.
A method for forming a plasmonic or electronically resonant material, the method comprising:
- generating a plurality of epitaxial growth layers on a substrate, the plurality of epitaxial growth layers comprising:
- a buffer layer adjacent the substrate, the buffer layer being an electrically inactive layer, the buffer layer being partially bonded via covalent bonding to the substrate;
- a growth layer adjacent the buffer layer, the growth layer being an electrically active layer;
- intercalating the buffer layer with intercalant by allowing the intercalant to migrate through a plurality of defects in the growth layer and into the buffer layer, wherein the intercalate physically and electronically decouples the buffer layer from the substrate.
A method for forming a plasmonic or electronically resonant material, the method comprising:
- generating an epitaxial growth layer on a substrate, the epitaxial growth layer comprising a buffer layer adjacent the substrate, the buffer layer being an electrically inactive layer, the buffer layer being partially bonded via covalent bonding to the substrate;
- and
- intercalating the buffer layer with intercalant to physically and electronically decouple the buffer layer from the substrate.
A Raman spectrometer, comprising:
- a light source configured to generate light that will be incident upon a sample;
- a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation generated by the sample;
- a plasmonic or electronically resonant material upon which the sample is placed, the plasmonic or electronically resonant material comprising:
- a substrate;
- an epitaxial growth layer, comprising a graphene layer;
- and
- an interface layer formed between the graphene layer and the substrate, the interface layer comprising pristine graphene passivated with intercalant;
- wherein:
- when the laser light interacts with the sample, molecules of the sample are excited so that molecular vibrations are generated;
- an electronic resonance is generated in the interface layer when the molecular vibrations occur;
- and
- the molecular vibrations couple with the electronic resonance to enhance the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.