Film wrap nanoparticle system with the graphene nano-spacer for SERS detection

Film wrap nanoparticle system (FWPS) is proposed and fabricated to perform SERS effect, where the Ag nanoparticle was completely wrapped by Au film and the double-layered graphene was selected as the sub-nano spacer. In this system, the designed nanostructure can be fully rather than partly used to generate hotspots and absorb probe molecules, compared to the nanoparticle to nanoparticle system (PIPS) or nanoparticle to film system (PTFS). The optimal fabricating condition and performance of this system were studied by the COMSOL Multiphysics. The simulation results show that the strongly large-scale localized electromagnetic field appears in the whole space between the Ag nanoparticle and Au film. The experimental results show that the FWPS presents excellent sensitivity (crystal violet (CV): 10(-11) M), uniformity, stability and high enhancement factor (EF: 2.23x10(8)). Malachite green (MG; 10(-10) M) on the surface of fish and DNA strands with different base sequence (A, T, C) were successfully detected. These advanced results indicate that FWPS is highly promising to be applied for the detection of environmental pollution and biomolecules. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

The study introduces and fabricates a film wrap nanoparticle system (FWPS) for SERS effect, with strong sensitivity and high enhancement factor demonstrated. Experimental results show successful detection of environmental pollutants and biomolecules using this system.