2018, Kuttner, Christian, Mayer, Martin, Dulle, Martin, Moscoso, Ana, López-Romero, Juan Manuel, Förster, Stephan, Fery, Andreas, Pérez-Juste, Jorge, Contreras-Cáceres, Rafael

We studied the controlled growth of triangular prismatic Au nanoparticles with different beveled sides for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) applications. First, in a seedless synthesis using 3-butenoic acid (3BA) and benzyldimethylammonium chloride (BDAC), gold nanotriangles (AuNTs) were synthesized in a mixture with gold nanooctahedra (AuNOCs) and separated by depletion-induced flocculation. Here, the influence of temperature, pH, and reducing agent on the reaction kinetics was initially investigated by UV–vis and correlated to the size and yield of AuNT seeds. In a second step, the AuNT size was increased by seed-mediated overgrowth with Au. We show for the first time that preformed 3BA-synthesized AuNT seeds can be overgrown up to a final edge length of 175 nm and a thickness of 80 nm while maintaining their triangular shape and tip sharpness. The NT morphology, including edge length, thickness, and tip rounding, was precisely characterized in dispersion by small-angle X-ray scattering and in dry state by transmission electron microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. For sensor purposes, we studied the size-dependent SERS performance of AuNTs yielding analytical enhancement factors between 0.9 × 104 and 5.6 × 104 and nanomolar limit of detection (10–8–10–9 M) for 4-mercaptobenzoic acid and BDAC. These results confirm that the 3BA approach allows the fabrication of AuNTs in a whole range of sizes maintaining the NT morphology. This enables tailoring of localized surface plasmon resonances between 590 and 740 nm, even in the near-infrared window of a biological tissue, for use as colloidal SERS sensing agents or for optoelectronic applications.

2014, Huang, Y., Fang, Y., Zhang, Z., Zhu, L., Sun, M.

Due to its amazing ability to manipulate light at the nanoscale, plasmonics has become one of the most interesting topics in the field of light-matter interaction. As a promising application of plasmonics, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used in scientific investigations and material analysis. The large enhanced Raman signals are mainly caused by the extremely enhanced electromagnetic field that results from localized surface plasmon polaritons. Recently, a novel SERS technology called remote SERS has been reported, combining both localized surface plasmon polaritons and propagating surface plasmon polaritons (PSPPs, or called plasmonic waveguide), which may be found in prominent applications in special circumstances compared to traditional local SERS. In this article, we review the mechanism of remote SERS and its development since it was first reported in 2009. Various remote metal systems based on plasmonic waveguides, such as nanoparticle-nanowire systems, single nanowire systems, crossed nanowire systems and nanowire dimer systems, are introduced, and recent novel applications, such as sensors, plasmon-driven surface-catalyzed reactions and Raman optical activity, are also presented. Furthermore, studies of remote SERS in dielectric and organic systems based on dielectric waveguides remind us that this useful technology has additional, tremendous application prospects that have not been realized in metal systems.

2021, Yeşilyurt, Ayşe Tuğça Mina, Huang, Jer‐Shing

Plasmonic nanoantennas mediate far and near optical fields and confine the light to subwavelength dimensions. The spatial organization of nanoantenna elements is critical as it affects the interelement coupling and determines the resultant antenna mode. To couple quantum emitters to optical antennas, high precision on the order of a few nm with respect to the antenna is necessary. As an emerging nanofabrication technique, DNA origami has proven itself to be a robust nanobreadboard to obtain sub-5 nm positioning precision for a diverse range of materials. Eliminating the need for expensive state-of-the-art top-down fabrication facilities, DNA origami enables cost-efficient implementation of nanoscale architectures, including novel nanoantennas. The ability of DNA origami to deterministically position single quantum emitters into nanoscale hotspots further boosts the efficiency of light–matter interaction controlled via optical antennas. This review recapitulates the recent progress in plasmonic nanoantennas assisted by DNA origami and focuses on their various configurations. How those nanoantennas act on the emission and absorption properties of quantum emitters positioned in the hotspots is explicitly discussed. In the end, open challenges are outlined and future possibilities lying ahead are pointed out for this powerful triad of biotechnology, nanooptics, and photophysics. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Optical Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH

2015, Zhang, Zhenglong, Fang, Yurui, Wang, Wenhui, Chen, Li, Sun, Mengtao

Plasmonics is a well-established field, exploiting the interaction of light and metals at the nanoscale; with the help of surface plasmon polaritons, remote-excitation can also be observed by using silver or gold plasmonic waveguides. Recently, plasmonic catalysis was established as a new exciting platform for heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Recent reports present remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions as a route to enhance the rate of chemical reactions, and offer a pathway to control surface catalytic reactions. In this review, we focus on recent advanced reports on silver plasmonic waveguide for remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions. First, the synthesis methods and characterization techniques of sivelr nanowire plasmonic waveguides are summarized, and the properties and physical mechanisms of plasmonic waveguides are presented in detail. Then, the applications of plasmonic waveguides including remote excitation fluorescence and SERS are introduced, and we focus on the field of remote-excitation surface catalytic reactions. Finally, forecasts are made for possible future applications for the remote-excitation surface catalysis by plasmonic waveguides in living cells.