Helicene-SPP-Based Chiral Plasmonic Hybrid Structure: Toward Direct Enantiomers SERS Discrimination

Achieving chiral plasmon response based on the combination of achiral plasmonic nanostructures with highly chiral surrounding medium represents an attractive way for creation of hybrid optically active plasmonic materials. In this work, we present an attractive design and fabrication of chiral plasmon substrates based on a surface plasmon-polariton-supported structure coupled with extremely optically active helicene enantiomers. Such approach allows us to excite chiral plasmon waves and to design optically active surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrates. Its further combination with standard Raman spectroscopy makes possible enantioselective detection/recognition of optical enantiomers with detection limits below those of standard spectral techniques. The chiral optical response of new plasmonic system was observed and controlled by the optical rotation of helicenes. Without necessity of previous chiral separation or implementation of sophisticated experimental equipment, we were able to estimate the concentration of enantiomers in their mixture by using left- or right-handed chiral plasmon substrates.