2 Plasmonics for Enhanced Vibrational Signatures
119
2.4.3 New Labels for Linear and Non-Linear Vibrational Probing
and Imaging
During recent years, it has been demonstrated that surface-enhanced Raman scattering opens up exciting capabilities for creating new labels particularly for biosciences.
Applications of SERS tags have been demonstrated for labeling DNA strands and
proteins [81, 82], for in vivo imaging in a mice [83] and for probing and imaging in
life cells [84, 85].
SERS labels consist of gold or silver nanoaggregates with an attached reporter
species, e.g. a dye, see also Fig. 2.8. The labels are detected based on the SERS
signature of the reporter molecule. Distinguishable spectral signatures even for similar reporter molecules enable a large pool of spectrally non-overlapping labels [3].
Since SERS works well with molecular non-resonant excitation, all labels can be
used at the same excitation wavelength. Therefore, SERS labels benefit from real
multiplexing capabilities.
As a particular advantage, SERS labels do not only highlight targeted structures
through the specific reporter spectrum, SERS in the local optical fields of the gold
or silver nanostructures also provides sensitive and spatially localized molecular
Fig. 2.8 Schematic of a multifunctional SERS label built from gold or silver nanoaggregates with
an reporter molecule attached along with its one and two-photon excited spectral signature. The
example shows SEHRS and SERS spectra from a label built from silver nanoaggregates with rose
bengal as reporter molecule. Two-photon excited SEHRS spectra were measured using 1,064 nm
mode locked ps pulses, one-photon excited SERS spectra were collected using 785 nm cw light
(Reprinted with permission from [35])
119
2.4.3 New Labels for Linear and Non-Linear Vibrational Probing
and Imaging
During recent years, it has been demonstrated that surface-enhanced Raman scattering opens up exciting capabilities for creating new labels particularly for biosciences.
Applications of SERS tags have been demonstrated for labeling DNA strands and
proteins [81, 82], for in vivo imaging in a mice [83] and for probing and imaging in
life cells [84, 85].
SERS labels consist of gold or silver nanoaggregates with an attached reporter
species, e.g. a dye, see also Fig. 2.8. The labels are detected based on the SERS
signature of the reporter molecule. Distinguishable spectral signatures even for similar reporter molecules enable a large pool of spectrally non-overlapping labels [3].
Since SERS works well with molecular non-resonant excitation, all labels can be
used at the same excitation wavelength. Therefore, SERS labels benefit from real
multiplexing capabilities.
As a particular advantage, SERS labels do not only highlight targeted structures
through the specific reporter spectrum, SERS in the local optical fields of the gold
or silver nanostructures also provides sensitive and spatially localized molecular
Fig. 2.8 Schematic of a multifunctional SERS label built from gold or silver nanoaggregates with
an reporter molecule attached along with its one and two-photon excited spectral signature. The
example shows SEHRS and SERS spectra from a label built from silver nanoaggregates with rose
bengal as reporter molecule. Two-photon excited SEHRS spectra were measured using 1,064 nm
mode locked ps pulses, one-photon excited SERS spectra were collected using 785 nm cw light
(Reprinted with permission from [35])