Patent ID: 8836941
Filing Date: 2014-09-16
Classification: B82Y,C23C,G01N

Abstract:
1. A device for enhancement of Raman spectroscopy comprising: a plurality of nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having a multimodal size distribution with at least a first population having a diameter of from 2 to 10 nanometers and at least a second population having a diameter of from 25 to 50 nanometers, said nanoparticles being free from any surfactants; and a substrate having said plurality of nanoparticles coated onto a surface of said substrate to form a coated surface, and wherein the thickness of said coated surface formed from said plurality of nanoparticles on said substrate increases in a predetermined manner from an initial thickness of more than 0 nanometers to a final thickness of 200 nanometers or less along a portion of said substrate to produce a thickness gradient of said coated surface on said substrate, and wherein said coated surface provides plasmon coupling for enhancements of chemical or biological specificity and sensitivity of said substrate to a material placed on said coated surface and wherein said nanoparticles being free from surfactants permits detectability of the Raman-inactive vibration modes up into the infrared spectral range.