Patent ID: 7985539

Claim:
A method for detecting an analyte, comprising: (a) forming a complex of: (i) a reagent comprising a metal-containing nanoparticle having bound there to at least one Raman label and a specific binding member for a target analyte; and (ii) a sample suspected of having the target analyte; (b) binding the complex to a substrate having a surface to form a test substrate; (c) contacting the surface of the test substrate with a staining material comprising silver to produce a detection substrate, wherein the presence of the at least one Raman label and the staining material on the surface of the detection substrate upon an appropriate signal causes surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) relative to a corresponding test substrate that lacks the staining material; and (d) subjecting the detection substrate to the appropriate signal and analyzing a SERS spectrum, thereby determining the presence or absence of the target analyte in the sample.