Rationally Designed Plasmonic Nanostructures for Rapid Bacteria Detection and Identification

表面增强拉曼光谱（SERS）是一种现场增强振动光谱技术，在病原微生物的快速光谱鉴定中具有广阔的应用前景。为了充分发挥其潜力，SERS基板需要产生大且可重复的电磁场增强。在这个项目中，制造技术的发展提供了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起来，在微米长度尺度上的特定位置产生纳米级贵金属结构。可靠的制造方法用于巨大的电磁场增强位置-所谓的“热点”-将允许合理地制造优化的SERS基板，结合大场增强和高再现性。这项工作的智力价值在于，它将提高我们对多长度尺度的周期和非周期等离子体结构中复杂电磁相互作用的理解。该项目更广泛的影响是，优化的SERS底物将允许通过SERS快速可靠地鉴定细菌病原体。这是高度相关的，例如，在临床环境中，它可以使急性感染的治疗策略更有效。具有更高可靠性和可重复性的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。除了该提案的科学影响外，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。由于主题和技术都是大众非常感兴趣的，这项工作将使一个实质性的推广计划成为可能。一个重要的组成部分将是波士顿大学纳米夏令营，由PI与波士顿大学的学习网络资源（LERNet）合作组织。纳米夏令营将吸引和熟悉来自市中心高中的学生——这些高中通常有更高比例的未被充分代表的群体——参与本提案中概述的研究。

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.