Nano sensing of temperature using equal intensity double plasmon resonance (EIDPR)

A method of detecting a temperature of an environment, the method comprising:

• introducing a material to the environment, the material comprising:
• a template molecule;
• wherein the template molecule is tryptophan, tryptophan alkyl ester, or methionine;
• a first cluster of two or more silver nanoparticles located at a first affinity site on the template molecule, wherein the first affinity site includes at least one of:
• a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom;
• and
• a second cluster of two or more silver nanoparticles located at a second affinity site on the template molecule and spaced apart from the first cluster, wherein the second affinity site includes at least one of:
• a nitrogen atom or a sulfur atom;
• wherein the template molecule, the first cluster of two or more silver nanoparticles, and second cluster of two or more silver nanoparticles form a molecular sandwich structure;
• irradiating the material so as to cause the first cluster of silver nanoparticles to exhibit a plasmon resonance having a first resonant peak, and the second cluster of silver nanoparticles to exhibit a plasmon resonance having a second resonant peak;
• wherein the first resonance peak has a first absorbance value, the second resonance peak has a second absorbance value, and the first and second absorbance values differ by less than 25%;
• detecting at least one characteristic of the plasmon resonance of the material;
• and
• determining information indicative of the temperature of the environment based on the at least one detected characteristic of the plasmon resonance of the material;
• wherein the temperature is from about 0° C. to about 100° C.