An optofluidic device for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

We have developed an optofluidic device that improves the sensitivity of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) when compared to other SERS approaches. This device has a pinched and step microchannel–nanochannel junction that can trap and assemble nanoparticles/target molecules into optically enhanced SERS active clusters by using capillary force. These SERS active clusters provide an electromagnetic enhancement factor of ∼10⁸. In addition, due to the continuous capillary flow that can transport nanoparticles/target molecules into the junction sites, the numbers of nanoparticles/target molecules and SERS active sites are increased. As a result, the detection limit of SERS for adenine molecules was better than 10 pM.