Plasmon-enhanced two-channel in situ Kretschmann ellipsometry of protein adsorption, cellular adhesion and polyelectrolyte deposition on titania nanostructures.

Plasmon-enhanced in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry was realized using the Kretschmann geometry. A 10-μL flow cell was designed for multi-channel measurements using a semi-cylindrical lens. Dual-channel monitoring of the layer formation of different organic structures has been demonstrated on titania nanoparticle thin films supported by gold. Complex modeling capabilities as well as a sensitivity of ~40 pg/mm with a time resolution of 1 s was achieved. The surface adsorption was enhanced by the titania nanoparticles due to the larger specific surface and nanoroughness, which is consistent with our previous results on titanate nanotubes.