Phase-sensitive plasmonics biosensors: from bulk to nanoscale architechtures and novel functionalities

Abstract

Conference on Synthesis and Photonics of Nanoscale Materials XIII, San Francisco, CA, FEB 15-17, 2016International audienceWe overview our on-going activities on the improvement of physical sensitivity of plasmonic biosensors. Our approach is based on the employment of phase properties of light reflected from plasmonic transducer instead of amplitude ones in order to improve its detection limit in studies of biomolecular interactions between a target analyte and its corresponding receptor. Originally, phase-sensitive biosensing concept was demonstrated in conventional Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) geometry using a thin Au film in Kretschmann-Raether arrangement, but the resulting sensitivity had some limitations because of a rough relief of the gold film surface. We then demonstrate the possibility for the extension of this concept to novel nanoscale architectures of designed plasmonic metamaterials in order to further improve the sensitivity of plasmonic biosensing technology. The latter approach also profits from much enhanced electric field in coupled nanostructures exposed to illumination, therefore enabling spectroscopy analysis (Raman, Fluorescence, IR etc) methods to increase sensitivity level (potentially down to single molecule)

Plasmonic Surface Lattice Resonances: A Review of Properties and Applications

“…The SLR is seen to be much narrower, and the value of Ψ is close to zero, leading to a very sharp jump in the phase close to the resonance minimum. Reproduced and adapted with permission from ( 149 ). Copyright 2016 The International Society for Optical Engineering.…”

“… Spectral dependence (measured) of the spectral position of the resonance (a) and the phase angle (b) to variations in the refractive index for diffractive coupled SLR (red) and for conventional SPR with a 50 nm gold film (black). Figure adapted with permission from ( 149 ). Copyright 2016 The International Society for Optical Engineering.…”

Phase-Sensitive Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors: Recent Progress and Future Prospects

“…Following the rapid development of nanotechnology over the past few years, nanomaterials have been incorporated into phase-interrogated SPR sensors for further enhancement of their detection sensitivity [ 68 ]. Periodic structures with shapes in metal thin films, including nanodots [ 69 , 70 ], nanorods [ 71 ], nanodisks [ 29 ], nanoantennas [ 72 ], and subwavelength metallic slits [ 73 ], have been investigated for their sensitivity enhancement properties. The electric field enhancement produced by coupling of the localized SPR that was excited on the nanomaterial surface with the surface plasmon wave that was excited on the sensing film meant that the sensitivity could be increased by tens to hundreds of times.…”

Quasi-Random Multimetallic Nanoparticle Arrays

“…1 The nanostructuring of materials has resulted in structural color in plants and animals 2,3 and their artificial analogs 4−9 as well as state-of-the-art solar cells 10 and lightdriven microdrones. 11 Periodic arrays of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) can support surface lattice resonances (SLRs), 12−14 hybrid plasmonic-photonic modes of increased interest in sensing, 12,15 and light−matter interactions including lasing 16−19 and strong coupling. 20−22 Most work has focused on SLRs formed from the coupling between localized surface plasmons (LSPs) of the NPs and the first-order diffraction modes of an array at the high-symmetry points in reciprocal space (e.g., Γ-point, M-point, K-point).…”

“…The nanostructuring of materials has resulted in structural color in plants and animals , and their artificial analogs − as well as state-of-the-art solar cells and light-driven microdrones . Periodic arrays of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) can support surface lattice resonances (SLRs), − hybrid plasmonic-photonic modes of increased interest in sensing, , and light–matter interactions including lasing − and strong coupling. − Most work has focused on SLRs formed from the coupling between localized surface plasmons (LSPs) of the NPs and the first-order diffraction modes of an array at the high-symmetry points in reciprocal space (e.g., Γ-point, M-point, K-point). , Although particle dimension, shape, and material as well as lattice spacing, orientation and symmetry can be tuned to achieve high-quality SLRs over a broad range of wavelengths, −,, the diffraction orders of an array with fixed periodicity constrain SLR excitation to narrow spectral windows.…”