Plasmonic biosensors and nanoprobes based on gold nanoshells

Gold nanoshells (GNSs), consisting of a dielectric core coated with gold, have gained extensive attention as they show readily tunable optical properties and good biocompatibility. As highly sensitive and label-free optical biosensors with wide applications, GNSs have been investigated in many fields including drug delivery, immunoassay, cancer treatment, biological sensing and imaging. Taking advantage of the adjustability of the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and the sensitivity of the surfaceenhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal of GNSs, we have developed diverse applications including plasmonic biosensors and nanoprobes based on GNSs. In this review we introduce plasmonic and electromagnetic properties and fabrication methods of GNSs. We describe research progress in recent years, and highlight several applications of GNSs developed by our group. Finally we provide a brief assessment of future development of GNSs as plasmonic materials that can be integrated with complementary analytical techniques.     

球形银纳米颗粒及氧化硅/银纳米壳层的消光性能模拟

采用离散偶极近似理论,对球形银纳米颗粒和氧化硅/银纳米壳层在紫外-可见-近红外波段的消光性能进行模拟计算研究.研究结果表明:随着粒径的增加球形银纳米颗粒的偶极消光峰逐渐红移,四极消光峰开始出现且逐步红移,散射作用增强而吸收作用减弱.粒径和核壳比对氧化硅/银纳米壳层的消光性能均有很大影响,随着核壳比增大,主要消光峰发生规律性红移:当核壳比相同时,较大粒径的纳米壳层其消光峰位于较长波长处.当银壳层厚度超银的电子平均自由程时,纳米壳层的消光特征与同粒径银纳米颗粒的完全一致.