Comparison of Gap-Enhanced Raman Tags and Nanoparticle Aggregates with Polarization Dependent Super-Resolution Spectral SERS Imaging.

Strongly confined electric fields resulting from nanogaps within nanoparticle aggregates give rise to significant enhancement of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Nanometer differences in gap sizes lead to drastically different confined field strengths; so much attention has been focused on the development and understanding of nanostructures with controlled gap sizes. In this work, we report a novel petal gap-enhanced Raman tag (GERT) consisting of a bipyramid core and a nitrothiophenol (NTP) spacer to support the growth of hundreds of small petals and compare its SERS emission and localization to a traditional bipyramid aggregate.

Digital surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy for quantifiable single molecule detection in flow.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) provides a label free method of analyzing molecules from diverse and complex signals, potentially with single molecule sensitivity. The chemical specificity inherent in the SERS spectrum can identify molecules; however signal variability arising from the diversity of plasmonic environments can limit quantification, particularly at low concentrations. Here we show that digitizing, or counting SERS events, can decrease the limit of detection in flowing solutions enabling quantification of single molecules.

Raman and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection in Flowing Solutions for Complex Mixture Analysis.

Raman scattering provides a chemical-specific and label-free method for identifying and quantifying molecules in flowing solutions. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the application of Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to flowing liquid samples. We summarize developments in online and at-line detection using Raman and SERS analysis, including the design of microfluidic devices, the development of unique SERS substrates, novel sampling interfaces, and coupling these approaches to fluid-based chemical separations (e.

Bleach Cleaning of Commercially Available Gold Nanopillar Arrays for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS).

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive technique that can assist in trace analysis for biomedical, diagnostic, and environmental applications. However, a major limitation of SERS is surface contamination of the substrates used, which can complicate the spectral reproducibility, limits of detection, and detection of unknown analytes. This is especially prevalent with commercially available substrates as shipping under a controlled and clean environment is difficult.

Chemical conjugation to differentiate monosaccharides by Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Sugars play important roles in numerous biological processes, from providing energy to modifying proteins to alter their function. Glycosylation, the attachment of a sugar residue to a protein, is the most common post translational modification. Identifying the glycans on a protein is a useful tool both for pharmaceutical development as well as probing the proteome and glycome further.