Patent ID: 8269963

Claim:
A tunable apparatus for performing Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), said apparatus comprising: a deformable layer comprising a plurality of nano-scale protrusions extending from a plane of the deformable layer, wherein the nano-scale protrusions are spaced apart from each other; a plurality of SERS-active nanoparticles disposed on the plurality of nano-scale protrusions, wherein the plurality of SERS-active nanoparticles are to be illuminated with light of a pump wavelength to cause Raman excitation light to interact with the nanoparticles and produce enhanced Raman scattered light from molecules located in close proximity to the nanoparticles; and wherein morphologies of the deformable layer and the plurality of nano-scale protrusions are to be varied to modify an intensity of the Raman scattered light produced from the molecules.