Rationally Designed Plasmonic Nanostructures for Rapid Bacteria Detection and Identification

莱茵哈德表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)是一种场增强振动光谱，在病原微生物的快速光谱鉴定方面显示出巨大的前景。为了充分发挥其潜力，SERS衬底需要产生大的和可重复的电磁场增强。在这个项目中，开发了制造技术，提供对二维等离子体结构的复杂电磁响应的控制。为了实现这一目标，化学组装程序和光刻纳米制造方法将结合在一起，在微米级的指定位置产生纳米级贵金属结构。用于巨型电磁场增强位置的可靠的制造方法--所谓的“热点”--将允许合理地制造结合了大场增强和高重复性的优化的SERS衬底。这项工作的学术价值在于，它将提高我们对具有多个长度尺度的周期性和非周期性等离子体结构中复杂电磁相互作用的理解。该项目的更广泛影响是，优化的SERS底物将允许通过SERS快速和可靠地鉴定细菌病原体。例如，这在临床环境中非常相关，在那里它可以实现对急性感染的更有效的治疗策略。具有更好的可靠性和重复性的SERS衬底也将导致SERS在具有挑战性的生物和生物医学传感应用中的全新应用。除了这项建议的科学影响外，还有明显的教育和推广影响。该项目将为学生和初级研究人员提供参与合作研究和教育计划的机会。由于这一主题和技术对普通民众都非常感兴趣，这一努力将使一个实质性的外展计划成为可能。一个重要的组成部分将是波士顿大学Nanocamp，由国际和平协会与波士顿大学的学习网络资源(Lernet)合作组织。NanocCamp将吸引和熟悉市中心高中的学生--这些学校通常有更高比例的代表不足的群体--参加这项提案中概述的研究。

0853798ReinhardSurface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a field enhanced vibrational spectroscopy that shows great promise for the rapid spectroscopic identification of pathogenic microorganisms. To realize its full potential, SERS substrates are required that generate large and reproducible electromagnetic field enhancements. In this project fabrication technologies are developed that provide control over the complex electromagnetic response of two-dimensional plasmonic structures. To achieve this aim chemical assembly procedures and lithographic nanofabrication approaches will be combined to generate nanoscale noble metal structures at defined locations over micron length scales. Reliable fabrication methods for locations of giant electromagnetic field enhancement - so called "hot spots" - will allow a rational fabrication of optimized SERS substrates which combine large field enhancement and high reproducibility. The intellectual merit of the effort is that it will improve our understanding of the complex electromagnetic interactions in periodic and aperiodic plasmonic structures with multiple length scales. The broader impact of the project is that the optimized SERS substrates will allow a rapid and reliable identification of bacterial pathogens through SERS. This is highly relevant, for instance, in the clinical setting where it could enable more effective treatment strategies of acute infections. SERS substrates with improved reliability and reproducibility will also lead to entirely new applications of SERS in challenging biological and biomedical sensing applications. In addition to the scientific impact of this proposal, there are clear educational and outreach impacts. The project will offer students and junior researchers the opportunity to participate in a collaborative research and education program. Because both the topic and technique are of great interest to the general population, this effort will enable a substantial outreach program. One important component will be the Boston University Nanocamp, organized by the PI in collaboration with the Boston University's learning network resource (LERNet). The nanocamp will attract and familiarize students from inner-city high schools - which typically have a higher fraction of underrepresented groups - to the research outlined in this proposal.