Upconversion Plasmonic Mapping: A Direct Plasmonic Visualization And Spectrometer-Free Sensing Method
Cheaper Real-time mapping Larger volumes Smaller
Mapping and determining SPP parameters Design of optical/electronic equipment Waveguides Sensors Detection of trace amounts of biomolecules
Researchers led by Xiangfeng Duan from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA have developed a cheap and efficient way to map surface plasmon polaritons in order to detect trace amounts of biomolecules. They have created a way to amplify the light of SPPs so that they can view SPPs using conventional microscopes rather than having to use bulky and expensive NSOMs. The ability to see them through a conventional microscope allows the researchers to map SPPs in real time, in a large volume, and in a cost-effective way. They can easily determine SPPs’ parameters like excitation, propagation, and attenuation, which are critical in developing optical and electronic devices. This breakthrough has allowed them to detect biomolecules (e.g. Streptavidin, prostate specific antigen) at femtomolar amounts (a scale of 10-15).
Background Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are light/laser induced electromagnetic waves (e.g. light) in the infrared or visible frequencies that travel along a metal-air or metal-dielectric interface. The ability to map SPPs and determine their characteristics plays an important role designing optical/electronic devices, sensors, waveguides, photovoltaics, metamaterials, and potentially can detect trace amounts of biomolecules. These SPPs cannot be seen through conventional microscopes and require a bulky and expensive hardware setup known as near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) to be seen. Despite its cost, NSOM have limitations which include an inability to map SPPs in real time, in a high volume, or in non-ideal environments. Lowering the cost to map SPPs can create new applications of SPPs, like measuring biomolecules, and cheapen the cost of designing the products listed above. Additional Technologies by these Inventors Tech ID/UC Case 29409/2017-540-0 Related Cases 2017-540-0
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