Patent ID: 8593629

Claim:
An apparatus for performing surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), said apparatus comprising: an optical waveguide that is to propagate light along a first axis, wherein an evanescent field outside of the optical waveguide is to be generated as the light is propagated through the optical waveguide; a plurality of flexible nano-structures that extend generally perpendicularly with respect to the first axis, wherein the plurality of nano-structures have respective free ends positioned to be within the evanescent field generated by the light propagated through the optical waveguide; and wherein the plurality of nano-structures are movable from a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the free ends of the plurality of nano-structures are substantially spaced from each other and in the second position, the free ends of a plurality of the nano-structures are substantially in contact with each other; and wherein the plurality of flexible nano-structures comprise a base section supporting a ridge section, wherein a width of the ridge section is substantially larger than a width of the base section, and wherein the ridge section comprises the optical waveguide.