Molecular plasmonics for nanoscale spectroscopy

Facile and green fabrication of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous mats doped with narrowly dispersed silver nanoparticles

Submicrometer-scale poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibrous mats loaded with aligned and narrowly dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are obtained via the electrospinning process from pure water. This facile and green procedure did not need any other chemicals or organic solvents. The doped AgNPs are narrowly distributed, 4.3±0.7 nm and their contents on the nanofabric mats can be easily tuned via in situ ultraviolet light irradiation or under preheating conditions, but with different particle sizes and size distributions. The morphology, loading concentrations, and dispersities of AgNPs embedded within PVA nanofiber mats are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Moreover, the biocidal activities and cytotoxicity of the electrospun nanofiber mats are determined by zone of inhibition, dynamic shaking method, and cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay tests.

Ultrahigh Vacuum Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy with Picosecond Excitation

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) provides chemical information about adsorbates with nanoscale spatial resolution, but developments are still required in order to incorporate ultrafast temporal resolution. In this Letter, we demonstrate that a reliable TER signal of rhodamine 6G (R6G) using picosecond (ps)-pulsed excitation can be obtained in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). In contrast to our previous observation of irreversible signal loss in ambient TERS ( Klingsporn , J. M. ; Sonntag , M. D. ; Seideman , T. ; Van Duyne , R. P. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2014 , 5 , 106 - 110 ), we demonstrate that the UHV environment decreases irreversible signal degradation. As a complement to the TERS experiments, we examined the rate of surface-enhanced Raman (SER) signal decay under picosecond irradiation and found that it is also slowed in UHV compared to that in ambient. Signal decay kinetics suggest that the predominant mechanism responsible for signal loss in ps SERS of R6G is surface diffusion. Both diffusive and reactive phenomena can lead to pulsed excitation TER signal loss, and a UHV environment is advantageous in either scenario.

Shape control in wafer-based aperiodic 3D nanostructures

Controlled local fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures is important to explore and enhance the function of single nanodevices, but is experimentally challenging. We present a scheme based on e-beam lithography (EBL) written seeds, and glancing angle deposition (GLAD) grown structures to create nanoscale objects with defined shapes but in aperiodic arrangements. By using a continuous sacrificial corral surrounding the features of interest we grow isolated 3D nanostructures that have complex cross-sections and sidewall morphology that are surrounded by zones of clean substrate.

Seeing through bone with surface-enhanced spatially offset Raman spectroscopy

Surface-enhanced spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SESORS) is a label-free vibrational spectroscopy that has the potential for in vivo imaging. Previous SESORS experiments have been limited to acquiring spectra using SERS substrates implanted under the skin or from nanoparticles embedded in tissue. Here we present SESORS measurements of SERS active nanoparticles coated with a Raman reporter molecule (nanotags) acquired, for the first time, through bone. We demonstrate the ability of SESORS to measure spectra through various thicknesses (3-8 mm) of bone. We also show that diluted nanotag samples (~2 × 10(12) particles) can be detected through the bone. We apply a least-squares support vector machine analysis to demonstrate quantitative detection. It is anticipated that these through-bone SESORS measurements will enable real-time, non-invasive spectroscopic measurement of neurochemicals through the skull, as well as other biomedical applications.