Rapid Ultrasensitive Single Particle Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Using Metallic Nanopores

Abstract

Nanopore sensors embedded within thin dielectric membranes have bee a gaining significant interest due to their single molecule sensitivity and compatibility of detecting a large range of analytes, from DNA and proteins, to small molecules and particles. Building on this concept we utilize a metallic Au solid-state membrane to translocate and rapidly detect single Au nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized Raman spectroscopy (SERRS). We show that, due to the with 589 dye molecules using surface enhanced resonance plasmonic coupling between the Au metallic nanopore surface and the NP, signal intensifies are enhanced when probing analyte molecules bound to the NP surface. Although not single molecule, this nanopore sensing scheme benefits from the ability of SERRS to provide rich vibrational information on the analyte, improving on current nanopore-based electrical and optical detection techniques. We show that the full vibrational spectrum of the analyte can be detected with ultrahigh spectral sensitivity and a rapid temporal resolution of 880 ps.