Attomole (amol) myoglobin Raman detection from plasmonic nanostructures

We have demonstrated the fabrication of nano-structures using electro-plating and electron beam lithography techniques to obtain a pattern of gold nanograin aggregate structures of diameter in the range between 80 and 100 nm with interstitial gap of 10-30 nm. The nanostructure based SERS substrate enables one to have better control and reproducibility on generation of plasmon polaritons. Using calculation, we have shown that Raman spectra are derived for the myoglobin concentration down up to attomole. These results are obtained using drop coating deposition Raman (DCDR) method in which solution of interest is microdeposited (2 mu L) on SERS substrate. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.