Self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device for surface-enhanced luminescence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9244015-B2
Application number	US-201013636784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2010
Priority date	Apr 20, 2010
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device 101 for surface-enhanced luminescence. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device 101 for surface-enhanced luminescence includes a substrate 110 , and a plurality 120 of flexible columnar structures. A flexible columnar structure 120 - 1 of the plurality 120 includes a flexible column 120 - 1 A, and a metallic cap 120 - 1 B coupled to the apex 120 - 1 C of the flexible column 120 - 1 A. At least the flexible columnar structure 120 - 1 and a second flexible columnar structure 120 - 2 are configured to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration with at least one molecule 220 - 1 disposed between at least the metallic cap 120 - 1 B and a second metallic cap 120 - 2 B of respective flexible columnar structure 120 - 1 and second flexible columnar structure 120 - 2.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device for surface-enhanced luminescence, said device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of flexible columnar structures, a flexible columnar structure of said plurality comprising:
a flexible column; and
a metallic cap coupled to an apex of said flexible column;

wherein at least said flexible columnar structure and a second flexible columnar structure of said plurality of flexible columnar structures are configured to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration under influence of microcapillary forces between the flexible columnar structure and the second flexible columnar structure with at least one molecule disposed between at least said metallic cap and a second metallic cap of respective flexible columnar structure and second flexible columnar structure, and wherein said metallic cap of said flexible columnar structure and a metallic cap of said second flexible columnar structure are drawn laterally towards each other under the influence of microcapillary forces when in said close-packed configuration.

2. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein at least one metallic cap of said plurality of metallic caps is composed of a constituent selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, aluminum and gold, or any combination of copper, silver, aluminum and gold.

3. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein flexible columns of said plurality of flexible columnar structures further comprise a flexible material selected from the group consisting of a highly cross-linked uv-curable polymer, a highly cross-linked thermal-curable polymer, a highly cross-linked uv-curable plastic, a highly cross-linked thermal-curable plastic, a polysiloxane compound, silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, diamond, diamond-like carbon, spin-on glass, a sol-gel material, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, sapphire, and titanium dioxide.

4. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein a metallic cap of said plurality of flexible columnar structures is configured to bind to a molecule disposed in close proximity to said metallic cap.

5. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein at least one flexible column is configured to bend towards at least a second flexible column, and to dispose said molecule in close proximity with at least a second metallic cap on said second flexible column.

6. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 5 , wherein a spacing of said close-packed configuration between said metallic cap and second metallic cap with a molecule disposed between said metallic cap and second metallic cap is determined by a balance of binding forces, between said molecule and said metallic cap and second metallic cap, with restoring forces exerted by said flexible column and second flexible column due to displacement of said flexible column and second flexible column towards said molecule.

7. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 5 , wherein said flexible column is configured to bend towards said second flexible column under action of microcapillary forces induced by removal of a fluid carrier provided to carry said molecule into proximity with said metallic cap and second metallic cap.

8. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible column of the flexible columnar structure and the flexible column of the second flexible columnar structure are spaced at the substrate by a gap of 20 nm to 500 nm.

9. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein the metallic cap of the flexible columnar structure and the metallic cap of the second flexible columnar structure, when self-arranged into the close-packed configuration, have a spacing of a size of an analyte molecule.

10. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein the columnar structure and the second columnar structure are bound in the close-packed configuration under influence of Van der Waals forces.

11. The self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device of claim 1 , wherein the self-arrangement of the first columnar structure and the second columnar structure is in absence of influence of an applied electric charge to either the first columnar structure or the second columnar structure.

12. A method for fabricating a self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device for surface-enhanced luminescence, said method comprising:
providing a substrate;
producing a plurality of flexible columns on said substrate; and
fabricating a plurality of metallic caps on a plurality of apices of said plurality of flexible columns;
wherein said plurality of flexible columns are composed of a material that allows at least a flexible column and a second flexible column of said plurality of flexible columns to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration under influence of microcapillary forces between the flexible columnar structure and the second flexible columnar structure with a molecule if the molecule is disposed in proximity to at least a metallic cap and a second metallic cap, and said metallic cap and said second metallic cap are composed of a material that enhances a luminescence of said molecule if said molecule is disposed in proximity to at least one said metallic cap, and wherein said metallic cap and said second metallic cap are drawn laterally towards each other under the influence of microcapillary forces when in said close-packed configuration.

13. The method recited in claim 12 , wherein said producing a plurality of flexible columns on said substrate comprises a process selected from the group consisting of growing nanowires on said substrate, etching said substrate, hot nano-embossing a coating on said substrate, and nano-imprinting a coating on said substrate.

14. The method recited in claim 12 , wherein said fabricating said plurality of metallic caps comprises a process selected from the group consisting of evaporating a metallic cap, electroplating a metallic cap, precipitating a metallic cap from a colloidal suspension of metallic nanoparticles, lifting-off portions of a deposited metallic layer to form a metallic cap, and reducing adsorbed metalo-organic compounds by energetic particle bombardment to form a metallic cap.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said fabricating said plurality of metallic caps comprises evaporating metal at an angle of about 30° to a surface of said substrate onto a plurality of apices of said plurality of flexible columns.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the flexible column and the second flexible column are produced with a gap therebetween at the substrate of 20 nm to 500 nm.

17. An optical apparatus, comprising:
an optical component comprising:
a self-arranging, luminescence-enhancement device for surface-enhanced luminescence, said device comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of flexible columnar structures, a flexible columnar structure of said plurality comprising:
a flexible column; and
a metallic cap coupled to an apex of said flexible column;

wherein at least said flexible columnar structure and a second flexible columnar structure of said plurality of flexible columnar structures are configured to self-arrange into a close-packed configuration under influence of microcapillary forces between the flexible columnar structure and the second flexible columnar structure with at least one molecule disposed between at least said metallic cap and a second metallic cap of respect

Assignees

• Li Zhiyong
• Hu Min
• Ou Fung Suong
• Wu Wei
• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Li Zhiyong
• Hu Min
• Ou Fung Suong
• Wu Wei

Classifications

• G01N21/658 Primary

  enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons · CPC title

• G01N21/648

  using evanescent coupling or surface plasmon coupling for the excitation of fluorescence · CPC title