Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures

F. De Angelis; F. Gentile; F. Mecarini; G. Das; M. Moretti; P. Candeloro; M. L. Coluccio; G. Cojoc; A. Accardo; C. Liberale; R. P. Zaccaria; G. Perozziello; L. Tirinato; A. Toma; G. Cuda; R. Cingolani; E. Di Fabrizio

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2011.222

Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures

F. De Angelis^*, F. Gentile, F. Mecarini, G. Das, M. Moretti, P. Candeloro, M. L. Coluccio, G. Cojoc, A. Accardo, C. Liberale, R. P. Zaccaria, G. Perozziello, L. Tirinato, A. Toma, G. Cuda, R. Cingolani, E. Di Fabrizio

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

620 Scopus citations

Abstract

The detection of a few molecules in a highly diluted solution is of paramount interest in fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution in relation to rare and dangerous chemicals. Nanosensors based on plasmonics are promising devices in this regard, in that they combine the features of high sensitivity, label-free detection and miniaturization. However, plasmonic-based nanosensors, in common with general sensors with sensitive areas on the scale of nanometres, cannot be used directly to detect molecules dissolved in femto- or attomolar solutions. In other words, they are diffusion-limited and their detection times become impractical at such concentrations. In this Article, we demonstrate, by combining super-hydrophobic artificial surfaces and nanoplasmonic structures, that few molecules can be localized and detected even at attomolar (10^-18 mol l^-1) concentration. Moreover, the detection can be combined with fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, such that the chemical signature of the molecules can be clearly determined.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	682-687
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature Photonics
Volume	5
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2011.222
State	Published - Nov 2011
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank L. Fruk (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) for discussions and suggestions on biological aspects of this work, and R. La Rocca, R. Tallerico and A. Nicastri (BIONEM University of Magna Graecia) for sample preparation. This work was funded under European Project SMD FP7-NMP 2800-SMALL-2 (proposal no. CP-FP 229375-2), Project NANOANTENNA FP7-HEALTH-2009 (grant agreement no. 241818), Italian project FIRB ‘Rete Nazionale di Ricerca sulle Nanoscienze ItalNanoNet’ (cod. RBPR05JH2P_010).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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10.1038/nphoton.2011.222

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De Angelis, F., Gentile, F., Mecarini, F., Das, G., Moretti, M., Candeloro, P., Coluccio, M. L., Cojoc, G., Accardo, A., Liberale, C., Zaccaria, R. P., Perozziello, G., Tirinato, L., Toma, A., Cuda, G., Cingolani, R., & Di Fabrizio, E. (2011). Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures. Nature Photonics, 5(11), 682-687. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2011.222

@article{92cef586a4654df8a8c87d72d2b61028,

title = "Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures",

abstract = "The detection of a few molecules in a highly diluted solution is of paramount interest in fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution in relation to rare and dangerous chemicals. Nanosensors based on plasmonics are promising devices in this regard, in that they combine the features of high sensitivity, label-free detection and miniaturization. However, plasmonic-based nanosensors, in common with general sensors with sensitive areas on the scale of nanometres, cannot be used directly to detect molecules dissolved in femto- or attomolar solutions. In other words, they are diffusion-limited and their detection times become impractical at such concentrations. In this Article, we demonstrate, by combining super-hydrophobic artificial surfaces and nanoplasmonic structures, that few molecules can be localized and detected even at attomolar (10-18 mol l-1) concentration. Moreover, the detection can be combined with fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, such that the chemical signature of the molecules can be clearly determined.",

author = "{De Angelis}, F. and F. Gentile and F. Mecarini and G. Das and M. Moretti and P. Candeloro and Coluccio, {M. L.} and G. Cojoc and A. Accardo and C. Liberale and Zaccaria, {R. P.} and G. Perozziello and L. Tirinato and A. Toma and G. Cuda and R. Cingolani and {Di Fabrizio}, E.",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank L. Fruk (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) for discussions and suggestions on biological aspects of this work, and R. La Rocca, R. Tallerico and A. Nicastri (BIONEM University of Magna Graecia) for sample preparation. This work was funded under European Project SMD FP7-NMP 2800-SMALL-2 (proposal no. CP-FP 229375-2), Project NANOANTENNA FP7-HEALTH-2009 (grant agreement no. 241818), Italian project FIRB {\textquoteleft}Rete Nazionale di Ricerca sulle Nanoscienze ItalNanoNet{\textquoteright} (cod. RBPR05JH2P_010).",

year = "2011",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1038/nphoton.2011.222",

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De Angelis, F, Gentile, F, Mecarini, F, Das, G, Moretti, M, Candeloro, P, Coluccio, ML, Cojoc, G, Accardo, A, Liberale, C, Zaccaria, RP, Perozziello, G, Tirinato, L, Toma, A, Cuda, G, Cingolani, R & Di Fabrizio, E 2011, 'Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures', Nature Photonics, vol. 5, no. 11, pp. 682-687. https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2011.222

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AU - Gentile, F.

AU - Mecarini, F.

AU - Das, G.

AU - Moretti, M.

AU - Candeloro, P.

AU - Coluccio, M. L.

AU - Cojoc, G.

AU - Accardo, A.

AU - Liberale, C.

AU - Zaccaria, R. P.

AU - Perozziello, G.

AU - Tirinato, L.

AU - Toma, A.

AU - Cuda, G.

AU - Cingolani, R.

AU - Di Fabrizio, E.

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ER -

Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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