Plasmonic nanoantenna arrays : optical properties and their applications in biosensing

• Main Author: Dodson, Stephanie Lynn
• Other Authors: Xiong Qihua
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Physics::Optics and light; DRNTU::Engineering::Nanotechnology; DRNTU::Engineering::Materials::Photonics and optoelectronics materials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/61650
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The author will provide a brief overview of plasmonics and its applications in biosensing as well as a conceptual overview of the theory and techniques involved in localized surface plasmon resonance and surface enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopies. The author will describe the computational techniques involved in simulating the optical properties of nanoparticles as well as the development of an electron beam lithography recipe for creating very fine-featured nanostructures. Nanorods were fabricated in a variety of rectangular arrays to achieve very sharp resonances. Refractive index sensitivity of 360 nm/RIU and LOD as low as 1fg/L were achieved. Bowtie nanoantennae were fabricated in a variety of geometries, with gaps as small as 3 nm. The near field was characterized using a photosensitive polymer. SERS enhancement factors as high as 1011 were achieved. The applications of the plasmonic structures studied in this thesis work in the field of biosensing will be discussed.