High-Performance Substrates for SERS Detection via Microphotonic Photopolymer Characterization and Coating With Functionalized Hydrogels

摘要

The goal of this research project in collaboration with ARL-Edgewood was to design, characterize and fabricate a new generation of stable and highly enhancing SERS substrates for sensors with continuous detection of chemical agents in water streams. We completed a detailed systematic study of hierarchically templated SERS substrates in thin films. In this task, convective assembly at high volume fractions was used to assemble gold nanoparticles into structured porous films templated by colloidal crystals. The control over the film structure allowed optimizing their performance for potential sensor applications. The primary focus of the second newer research direction was the fabrication of nanostructured gold substrates in the form of millimeter and sub-millimeter dots for on-chip assays. The know-how gained from completion of previous research goals was used to fabricate SERS micropatches in small volumes with controlled micro and nanostructure for highly selective, high sensitivity assays. The process was modeled and a procedure for fabricating SERS microassay patches was formulated. The technique developed allows us to create in the next stages of our research a new generation of miniature arrays of SERS-based sensors.