Chapter 14
Plasmonics and Super-Hydrophobicity: A New
Class of Nano-Bio-Devices
F. Gentile, M. L. Coluccio, A. Toma, A. Alabastri, R. Proietti Zaccaria, G. Das,
F. De Angelis, P. Candeloro, C. Liberale, G. Perozziello, L. Tirinato,
M. Leoncini and E. Di Fabrizio
Abstract Early detection of diseases has great importance in terms of success of
the disease treatment. In fact, it has a profound positive influence on the response
provided by the patient, leading to shorter and less invasive treatment regimes. We
consider here the Raman detection of low (atto-molar) concentrates of molecules
by applying nanofabrication techniques in the fabrication of plasmonic devices fulfilling the requirement of superhydrophobicity. Plasmonic resonances will have the
effect of substantially increasing the local electric field around the fabricated nanodevice which, in turn, will positively affect the Raman signal. Similarly, the superhydrophobicity will play the crucial role in localizing the few molecules of the analyte
around the plasmonic device, therefore allowing their detection in a manner otherwise impossible in diffusion-based devices. We will theoretically explain the concept
of superhydrophobicity by providing also a roadmap for defining the optimal superhydrophobic device, then we will introduce the fabrication process to realize such
a device and, finally, we will provide the Raman counting of a series of analytes
together with electromagnetic simulations illustrating the role of the electric field in
the formation of the Raman signal.
Keywords Plasmon · Hydrophobicity
F. Gentile · M. L. Coluccio · P. Candeloro · G. Perozziello · L. Tirinato · E. Di Fabrizio (B)
BioNEM (Bio Nano Engineering and Technology for Medicine), University Magna Graecia
of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
e-mail: enzo.difabrizio@kaust.edu.sa
F. Gentile · A. Toma · A. Alabastri · R. Proietti Zaccaria · G. Das · F. De Angelis · C. Liberale ·
M. Leoncini · E. Di Fabrizio
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
E. Di Fabrizio
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 4086,Bld g. 3, 3rd floor, Office
3235, Thuwal 23955-69 00, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
T. V. Shahbazyan and M. I. Stockman (eds.), Plasmonics: Theory and Applications,
501
Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 15,
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7805-4_14, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Plasmonics and Super-Hydrophobicity: A New
Class of Nano-Bio-Devices
F. Gentile, M. L. Coluccio, A. Toma, A. Alabastri, R. Proietti Zaccaria, G. Das,
F. De Angelis, P. Candeloro, C. Liberale, G. Perozziello, L. Tirinato,
M. Leoncini and E. Di Fabrizio
Abstract Early detection of diseases has great importance in terms of success of
the disease treatment. In fact, it has a profound positive influence on the response
provided by the patient, leading to shorter and less invasive treatment regimes. We
consider here the Raman detection of low (atto-molar) concentrates of molecules
by applying nanofabrication techniques in the fabrication of plasmonic devices fulfilling the requirement of superhydrophobicity. Plasmonic resonances will have the
effect of substantially increasing the local electric field around the fabricated nanodevice which, in turn, will positively affect the Raman signal. Similarly, the superhydrophobicity will play the crucial role in localizing the few molecules of the analyte
around the plasmonic device, therefore allowing their detection in a manner otherwise impossible in diffusion-based devices. We will theoretically explain the concept
of superhydrophobicity by providing also a roadmap for defining the optimal superhydrophobic device, then we will introduce the fabrication process to realize such
a device and, finally, we will provide the Raman counting of a series of analytes
together with electromagnetic simulations illustrating the role of the electric field in
the formation of the Raman signal.
Keywords Plasmon · Hydrophobicity
F. Gentile · M. L. Coluccio · P. Candeloro · G. Perozziello · L. Tirinato · E. Di Fabrizio (B)
BioNEM (Bio Nano Engineering and Technology for Medicine), University Magna Graecia
of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
e-mail: enzo.difabrizio@kaust.edu.sa
F. Gentile · A. Toma · A. Alabastri · R. Proietti Zaccaria · G. Das · F. De Angelis · C. Liberale ·
M. Leoncini · E. Di Fabrizio
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
E. Di Fabrizio
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 4086,Bld g. 3, 3rd floor, Office
3235, Thuwal 23955-69 00, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
T. V. Shahbazyan and M. I. Stockman (eds.), Plasmonics: Theory and Applications,
501
Challenges and Advances in Computational Chemistry and Physics 15,
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7805-4_14, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013