Jing Jiang

Smartphone-based portable biosensing system using impedance measurement with printed electrodes for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) detection.

Rapid, sensitive, selective and portable detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) is in high demand for public safety and environmental monitoring. In this study, we reported a smartphone-based system using impedance monitoring for TNT detection. The screen-printed electrodes modified with TNT-specific peptides were used as disposable a biosensor to produce impedance responses to TNT. The responses could be monitored by a hand-held device and send out to smartphone through Bluetooth. Then, the smartphone was used to display TNT responses in real time and report concentration finally. In the measurement, the system was demonstrated to detect TNT at concentration as low as 10(-6) M and distinguish TNT versus different chemicals in high specificity. Thus, the smartphone-based biosensing platform provided a convenient and efficient approach to design portable instruments for chemical detections such as TNT recognition.

Surface plasmon enhanced broadband spectrophotometry on black silver substrates

We demonstrate surface plasmon-induced enhancements in optical imaging and spectroscopy on silver coated silicon nanocones which we call black silver. The black silver with dense and homogeneous nanocone forest structure is fabricated with a mass-producible nanomanufacturing method. It can efficiently trap and convert incident photons into localized plasmons in broad wavelength range, permitting the enhancement in optical absorption from ultraviolet to near infrared range by 12 times, the visible fluorescence enhancement of ∼30 times and the Raman scattering enhancement factor up to ∼108. We show the potential of the black silver in high sensitivity and broadband optical sensing of molecules.

Nanoreplicated positive and inverted submicrometer polymer pyramid array for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

We demonstrated gold-coated polymer surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with a pair of complementary structures—positive and inverted pyramid array struc- turesfabricatedbyamultiple-stepmoldingandreplicationprocess.TheuniformSERSenhance- ment factors over the entire device surface were measured as 7.2×10 4 for positive pyramid sub- strates while 1.6×10 6 for inverted pyramid substrates with Rhodamine 6G as the target analyte. Based on the optical reflection measurement and finite difference time domain simulation result, the enhancement factor difference is attributable to plasmon resonance matching and to SERS hot spots distribution. With this simple, fast, and versatile complementary molding process, we can produce polymer SERS substrates with extremely low cost, high throughput, and high repeatability. C 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1.3663259)

Monolithic integrations of slanted silicon nanostructures on 3D microstructures and their application to surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy

We demonstrated fabrication of black silicon with slanted nanocone array on both planar and 3D micro and meso scale structures produced by a high-throughput lithography-free oblique-angle plasma etching process. Nanocones with gradual change in height were created on the same piece of silicon. The relation between the slanted angle of nanocones and incident angle of directional plasma is experimentally investigated. In order to demonstrate the monolithic integration of nanostructures on micro and meso scale non-planar surfaces, nanocone forest is fabricated on non-planar silicon surfaces in various morphologies such as silicon atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips and pyramidal pits. By integrating nanocones on inverse silicon micro-pyramid array devices, we further improved the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement property of this optimized commercial SERS substrate by several folds even when using 66% less noble metal coating. We investigated the length gradient dependence and asymmetric properties of SERS effects for slanted nanocone with polarized excitation. This versatile and angle-controllable nanocone fabrication and monolithic 3D nano-micro-meso integration method provides new dimensions for production and optimization of SERS and other nanophotonic sensors.

Nanoplasmonic biosensor: Coupling electrochemistry to localized surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy on nanocup arrays

The nanoscale Lycurgus cup arrays were hybrid structures of nanocups and nanoparticles with ultrasensitivity to refractive index change. In this study, an electrochemical localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensor was developed by coupling electrochemistry to LSPR spectroscopy measurement on the nanoscale cup arrays (nanoCA). Based on the combination of electrochemistry and LSPR measurement, the electrochemical LSPR on nanoCA was observed with significant resonance wavelength shifts in electrochemical modulation. The synchronous implementation of cyclic voltammetry and optical transmission spectrum can be used to obtain multiply sensing information and investigate the enhancement for LSPR from electrochemical scanning. The electrochemical enhanced LSPR was utilized as biosensor to detect biomolecules. The electrochemical LSPR biosensor with synchronous electrochemical and optical implement showed higher sensitivity than that of conventional optical LSPR measurement. Detecting with multi-transducer parameters and high sensitivity, the electrochemical LSPR provided a promising approach for chemical and biological detection.

Black silicon solar thin-film microcells integrating top nanocone structures for broadband and omnidirectional light-trapping

Recently developed classes of monocrystalline silicon solar microcells (μ-cell) can be assembled into modules with characteristics (i.e., mechanically flexible forms, compact concentrator designs, and high-voltage outputs) that would be impossible to achieve using conventional, wafer-based approaches. In this paper, we describe a highly dense, uniform and non-periodic nanocone forest structure of black silicon (bSi) created on optically-thin (30 μm) μ-cells for broadband and omnidirectional light-trapping with a lithography-free and high-throughput plasma texturizing process. With optimized plasma etching conditions and a silicon nitride passivation layer, black silicon μ-cells, when embedded in a polymer waveguiding layer, display dramatic increases of as much as 65.7% in short circuit current, as compared to a bare silicon device. The conversion efficiency increases from 8.1% to 11.5% with a small drop in open circuit voltage and fill factor.

Lithography-free sub-100 nm nanocone array antireflection layer for low-cost silicon solar cell.

A high-density and -uniformity sub-100 nm surface-oxidized silicon nanocone forest structure is created and integrated onto the existing texturization microstructures on a photovoltaic device surface by a one-step high-throughput plasma-enhanced texturization method. We suppressed the broadband optical reflection on chemically textured grade-B silicon solar cells for up to 70.25% through this nanomanufacturing method. The performance of the solar cell is improved with the short-circuit current increased by 7.1%, fill factor increased by 7.0%, and conversion efficiency increased by 14.66%. Our method demonstrates the potential to improve the photovoltaic device performance with low-cost and high-throughput nanomanufacturing technology.

Monitoring the electrochemical responses of neurotransmitters through localized surface plasmon resonance using nanohole array

In this study, a novel spectroelectrochemical method was proposed for neurotransmitters detection. The central sensing device was a hybrid structure of nanohole array and gold nanoparticles, which demonstrated good conductivity and high localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensitivity. By utilizing such specially-designed nanoplasmonic sensor as working electrode, both electrical and spectral responses on the surface of the sensor could be simultaneously detected during the electrochemical process. Cyclic voltammetry was implemented to activate the oxidation and recovery of dopamine and serotonin, while transmission spectrum measurement was carried out to synchronously record to LSPR responses of the nanoplasmonic sensor. Coupling with electrochemistry, LSPR results indicated good integrity and linearity, along with promising accuracy in qualitative and quantitative detection even for mixed solution and in brain tissue homogenates. Also, the detection results of other negatively-charged neurotransmitters like acetylcholine demonstrated the selectivity of our detection method for transmitters with positive charge. When compared with traditional electrochemical signals, LSPR signals provided better signal-to-noise ratio and lower detection limits, along with immunity against interference factors like ascorbic acid. Taking the advantages of such robustness, the coupled detection method was proved to be a promising platform for point-of-care testing for neurotransmitters.

Peptide Functionalized Nanoplasmonic Sensor for Explosive Detection

In this study, a nanobiosensor for detecting explosives was developed, in which the peptide was synthesized with trinitrotoluene (TNT)-specific sequence and immobilized on nanodevice by Au–S covalent linkage, and the nanocup arrays were fabricated by nanoimprint and deposited with Au nanoparticles to generate localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The device was used to monitor slight change from specific binding of 2,4,6-TNT to the peptide. With high refractive index sensing of ~104 nm/RIU, the nanocup device can detect the binding of TNT at concentration as low as 3.12xa0×xa010−7xa0mgxa0mL−1 by optical transmission spectrum modulated by LSPR. The nanosensor is also able to distinguish TNT from analogs of 2,4-dinitrotoluene and 3-nitrotoluene in the mixture with great selectivity. The peptide-based nanosensor provides novel approaches to design versatile biosensor assays by LSPR for chemical molecules.

Large-area, lithography-free, low-cost SERS sensor with good flexibility and high performance.

Cost-effective, sensitive and bio-compatible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate has been in high demand since the Raman spectrum was designated as a significant tool for analyzing the composition of liquids, gases and solids in 1998 [1]. In this research, we presented the design, fabrication and characterization of an improved gold-based SERS substrate. With fine tuning of the SiO2 thickness we achieved a 3.391 times improvement and achieved an enhancement factor of 1.55xa0*xa010(7) which is 15 times better than the current gold-standard Klarite substrate. Such improvement is ascribed to the localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and propagating SPR, which is proved by full-wavexa0finite-difference time-domain simulations.