Patent ID: 8687186

Claim:
An analyte sensor, comprising: a system for performing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, the system including: a substrate having a surface; a plurality of tapered nanowires disposed on the surface, each nanowire having a tapered end directed away from the surface; and a plurality of nanoparticles disposed on each nanowire, wherein when each nanowire is illuminated with light of a pump wavelength, Raman excitation light is emitted from the tapered end of the nanowire to interact with the nanoparticles and produce enhanced Raman scattered light from an analyte located in close proximity to the nanoparticles; a first reflector disposed adjacent to the system and configured to partially reflect the Raman scattered light emitted from the analyte introduced to the system; a second reflector disposed adjacent to the system opposite the first reflector and configured to reflect the Raman scattered light; and a photodetector positioned to detect the Raman scattered light transmitted through the first reflector, wherein the Raman scattered light corresponds to a Raman spectrum associated with the analyte.