Surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS) apparatus, methods and applications
AssigneeCornell University
InventorsDavid Erickson, Aram J. Chung, Yun Suk Huh
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Abstract
Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates may be fabricated using a shadow mask assisted evaporation (SMAE) method to provide for enhanced detection sensitivity with respect to target molecules that are located upon, and sensitized by, the SERS enhanced substrates. Such SERS substrates provide a two dimensional array of repeating nanostructures that may include, but are not limited to nano-pillar, nano-nib, nano-elliptical cylinder and nano-triangular tip nanostructures, any of which may be augmented with gold nanospheres. The particular SERS enhanced substrates in accordance with the embodiments, in particular when augmented with gold nanospheres, provide desirably enhanced sensitivity.
Claims28
A composite structure comprising a substrate;
- and an at least 3×3 array of nanostructures disposed on the substrate, wherein each nanostructure has an elongate shape and a distal end in the form of an open, pointed tip and a plurality of functionalized nanoparticles each one of which is attached to a surface of a respective nanostructure, wherein each nanoparticle comprises a material characterized by an atomic weight that is greater than an atomic weight of the nanostructure to which it is attached.
A method of making an at least 3×3 array of nanostructures, comprising:
- providing a three-dimensional, periodically-arrayed nano-porous template;
- disposing the template in the path of a vaporized metal in an E-beam evaporator system at a fixed angle, α, where α is equal to or less than +60 degrees relative to the vaporized metal evaporation path axis;
- depositing a desired thickness of the metal on a top surface and at least a portion of an interior surface of each nanopore of the template while controlling a rotation of the template, thereby forming a deposited metal nanoarray structure, wherein each of the arrayed nanostructures has a pointed distal tip;
- eliminating the template leaving only the remaining deposited metal nanoarray structure;
- and
- attaching the remaining deposited metal nanoarray structure to a support substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.