Fabrication of Plasmonic Thin Films, Their Characterization and Applications

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Plasma Coatings, Surfaces & Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 14562

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Institute of Chemistry, Vilnius University, Naugarduko 24, LT-03225 Vilnius, Lithuania
2. Laboratory of Spectroelectrochemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Sauletekio av. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: plasmonic nanoparticles; magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles; surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; Raman spectroscopy; atomic force microscopy

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Guest Editor
1. Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio Ave. 7, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
2. Laboratory of Spectroelectrochemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Sauletekio av. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: surface-enhanced vibrational spectroscopy; spectro-electrochemistry; plasmonic, magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles; self-assembled monolayers; tethered-bilayer lipid membranes
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, plasmonics is one of the hot topics in fundamental and material sciences because of its wide technological applications. The phenomena of plasmonics studies are associated with surface plasmons that coherently oscillate free-electron plasma localized at the nanostructured metal surface and propagate along the metal–dielectric interface. When the resonance conditions are met, the plasmon strongly couples light, providing tremendous near-field enhancement in a confined space of dimensions less than a diffraction limit. This phenomenon is known as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and is vastly exploited in light harvesting, plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis, molecular sensing, photo-thermal therapeutics, super-resolution imaging, surface-enhanced spectroscopies, etc.

LSPR conditions critically depend on the plasmonic material and its morphology, which allows one to selectively tune the plasmonic resonance frequency according to requirements of the experiment. There are many new alternative plasmonic materials that go beyond gold and silver, and provide advantages in fabrication, tunability, and performance of plasmonic devices. Such materials encompass aluminum, doped semiconductors, plasmonic 2D materials (graphene, boron nitride, MXenes, metal oxides, and non-metals), metamaterials, etc. We invite authors to publish novel and original experimental works on the fabrication of plasmonic nanostructured thin films and plasmonic nanoparticles for tailored surface modification and subsequent applications. The Special Issue coverage also includes new nonconventional plasmonic materials, hybrid magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles, and core-shell and alloy nanoparticles, as well as their application in the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS), tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (GERS), surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF), and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) and others.

Dr. Lina Mikoliūnaitė
Dr. Martynas Talaikis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plasmonic materials
  • nanoantennas
  • patterned surfaces
  • laser ablation in liquid
  • nanofabrication

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5933 KiB  
Article
Theoretical Design of Near-Infrared Tunable Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors Based on Gate-Controlled Graphene Plasmons
by Yi Xiao, Danting Cui, Yongchun Zhong, Zhibin Li, Jun Zhang and Jianhui Yu
Coatings 2024, 14(1), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14010056 - 29 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1208
Abstract
A tunable near-infrared surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor based on gate-controlled graphene plasmons is numerically investigated by using the finite element method (FEM) and the transfer matrix method (TMM). The novel properties of chemical potential sensing make the proposed sensor promising in the [...] Read more.
A tunable near-infrared surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor based on gate-controlled graphene plasmons is numerically investigated by using the finite element method (FEM) and the transfer matrix method (TMM). The novel properties of chemical potential sensing make the proposed sensor promising in the application of ultra-sensitive and highly specific biosensing technology. The sensitivity of chemical potential sensing in wavelength interrogation mode can be calculated to be 1.5, 1.89, 2.29, 3.21, 3.73 and 4.68 nm/meV, respectively, at the resonance wavelengths of 1100, 1200, 1310, 1550, 1700 and 1900 nm. The figure of merit (FOM) achieves 129.3, 101.1, 84.5, 67.7, 69.5 and 59.7 eV−1, respectively, at these resonance wavelengths. The sensitivity of chemical potential sensing in gate voltage interrogation mode also can be calculated to be 156.9822, 143.6147, 131.0779, 111.0351, 101.3415 and 90.6038 mV/meV, respectively, at the incident wavelengths of 1100, 1200, 1310, 1550, 1700 and 1900 nm. The FOM achieves 135.6, 103.0, 88.9, 62.2, 66.6 and 61.5 eV−1, respectively, at these incident wavelengths. Theoretical estimates suggest that the limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor’s DNA sensing can reach the level of femtomolar or even attomolar, comparable to and even lower than that of 2D nanomaterial-enhanced metal SPR sensors with AuNPs as a sensitivity enhancement strategy. The feasibility of preparation and operation of this new concept SPR biosensor is also analyzed and discussed. Full article
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9 pages, 2574 KiB  
Article
Atomic Layer Deposition for Tailoring Tamm Plasmon-Polariton with Ultra-High Accuracy
by Mantas Drazdys, Ernesta Bužavaitė-Vertelienė, Darija Astrauskytė and Zigmas Balevičius
Coatings 2024, 14(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14010033 - 26 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1340
Abstract
In this study, we demonstrate the potential capability to control Tamm plasmon-polaritons (TPP) by applying atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a highly precise technique for plasmonic applications. Applications in plasmonics usually require tens of nanometers or less thick layers; thus, ALD is a [...] Read more.
In this study, we demonstrate the potential capability to control Tamm plasmon-polaritons (TPP) by applying atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a highly precise technique for plasmonic applications. Applications in plasmonics usually require tens of nanometers or less thick layers; thus, ALD is a very suitable technique with monolayer-by-monolayer growth of angstrom resolution. Spectroscopic ellipsometry and polarized reflection intensity identified the TPP resonances in the photonic band gap (PBG) formed by periodically alternating silicon oxide and tantalum oxide layers. The sub-nanometer control of the Al2O3 layer by ALD allows precise tailoring of TPP resonances within a few nanometers of spectral shift. The employing of the ALD method for the fabrication of thin layers with sub-nanometer thickness accuracy in more complex structures proves to be a versatile platform for practical applications where tunable plasmonic resonances of high quality are required. Full article
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17 pages, 5922 KiB  
Article
Magneto-Plasmonic Nanoparticles Generated by Laser Ablation of Layered Fe/Au and Fe/Au/Fe Composite Films for SERS Application
by Lina Mikoliunaite, Evaldas Stankevičius, Sonata Adomavičiūtė-Grabusovė, Vita Petrikaitė, Romualdas Trusovas, Martynas Talaikis, Martynas Skapas, Agnė Zdaniauskienė, Algirdas Selskis, Valdas Šablinskas and Gediminas Niaura
Coatings 2023, 13(9), 1523; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13091523 - 30 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1624
Abstract
Magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles were fabricated using a 1064 nm picosecond-pulsed laser for ablation of Fe/Au and Fe/Au/Fe composite thin films in acetone. Nanoparticles were characterized by electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) absorption, and Raman spectroscopy. Hybrid nanoparticles were arranged on an aluminum substrate by a [...] Read more.
Magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles were fabricated using a 1064 nm picosecond-pulsed laser for ablation of Fe/Au and Fe/Au/Fe composite thin films in acetone. Nanoparticles were characterized by electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) absorption, and Raman spectroscopy. Hybrid nanoparticles were arranged on an aluminum substrate by a magnetic field for application in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis revealed the spherical core-shell (Au-Fe) structure of nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopy of bare magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles confirmed the presence of magnetite (Fe3O4) without any impurities from maghemite or hematite. In addition, resonantly enhanced carbon-based bands were detected in Raman spectra. Plasmonic properties of hybrid nanoparticles were probed by SERS using the adsorbed biomolecule adenine. Based on analysis of experimental spectra and density functional theory modeling, the difference in SERS spectra of adsorbed adenine on laser-ablated Au and magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles was explained by the binding of adenine to the Fe3O4 structure at hybrid nanoparticles. The hybrid nanoparticles are free from organic stabilizers, and because of the biocompatibility of the magnetic shell and SERS activity of the plasmonic gold core, they can be widely applied in the construction of biosensors and biomedicine applications. Full article
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13 pages, 3970 KiB  
Article
Double-Glow Plasma Surface Alloying of BTi-62421S Alloys: Regulation of Microstructure Properties
by Yangjunfeng Nie, Zhimin Zhang, Mei Cheng, Zhaoming Yan and Beibei Dong
Coatings 2023, 13(5), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13050933 - 16 May 2023
Viewed by 1116
Abstract
In order to meet the design requirements of lightweight artillery and adopt the method of double-glow plasma nitriding to solve the problem of low hardness and poor abrasion resistance of Ti alloy, the BTi-62421S high-performance titanium (Ti) alloy was selected as the experimental [...] Read more.
In order to meet the design requirements of lightweight artillery and adopt the method of double-glow plasma nitriding to solve the problem of low hardness and poor abrasion resistance of Ti alloy, the BTi-62421S high-performance titanium (Ti) alloy was selected as the experimental material to replace gun steel. To study the effect of different nitrogen (N) concentrations on the heat resistance scouring performance of BTi-62421S high-performance Ti alloy and investigate the influence of alloying elements on the heat resistance scouring performance under the same parameters compared with the commonly used TC4 Ti alloy, argon was used as the protective gas by continuously increasing the N concentration (Ar/N2 = 1:1, 1:2, 1:3). It was found that the honeycomb structure on the surface of the sample and the thickness of the coating increased continuously, reaching a thickness of 15 μm, while the depth of the nitride particles extending from the coating to the substrate also increased, reaching a maximum depth of 26 μm. The orientation of TiN changed from 37° to 62°. The hardness of the coating showed a negative correlation with the coefficient of frictional abrasion, which significantly improved the heat-resistant scouring performance of BTi-62421S high-performance Ti alloy. Full article
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13 pages, 2879 KiB  
Article
A Study of the Laser-Assisted Alloying Effect on Plasmonic Properties of Au-Pd Nanostructured Film Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
by Chawki Awada and Francesco Ruffino
Coatings 2023, 13(4), 797; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13040797 - 19 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1532
Abstract
In this work, we report a study on the effect of the laser-assisted alloying effect on plasmonic properties of Pd and Au-Pd nanostructures using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The monometallic and bimetallic nanostructures are formed by nanosecond-laser induced de-wetting and the alloying of [...] Read more.
In this work, we report a study on the effect of the laser-assisted alloying effect on plasmonic properties of Pd and Au-Pd nanostructures using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The monometallic and bimetallic nanostructures are formed by nanosecond-laser induced de-wetting and the alloying of pure Pd and bimetallic Au-Pd nanoscale-thick films deposited on a transparent and conductive substrate. The morphological characteristics of the nanostructures were changed by controlling the laser fluence. Then, 4-nitrithiophenol (4-NTP) was used as an adsorbed molecule on the surface of the nanostructures to analyze the resulting SERS properties. A quantitative analysis was reported using the SERS profile properties, such as FWHM, amplitude, and Raman peak position variation. An excellent correlation between the variation of SERS properties and the nanostructures’ size was confirmed. The optical enhancement factor was estimated for Pd and Au-Pd nanostructures for the laser fluence (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.5 J/cm2). Full article
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12 pages, 5124 KiB  
Article
Photoluminescent and Photocatalytic Properties of Eu3+-Doped MgAl Oxide Coatings Formed by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy
by Stevan Stojadinović, Nenad Radić and Rastko Vasilić
Coatings 2022, 12(12), 1830; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12121830 - 26 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1418
Abstract
The synthesis of Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coatings containing MgO and MgAl2O4 was accomplished through plasma electrolytic oxidation of AZ31 magnesium alloy in aluminate electrolyte with the addition of Eu2O3 particles in various concentrations. Their morphological, [...] Read more.
The synthesis of Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coatings containing MgO and MgAl2O4 was accomplished through plasma electrolytic oxidation of AZ31 magnesium alloy in aluminate electrolyte with the addition of Eu2O3 particles in various concentrations. Their morphological, structural, and above all, photoluminescent (PL) and photocatalytic activity (PA) were thoroughly investigated. PL emission spectra of MgAl oxide coatings feature characteristic emission peaks, which are ascribed to f–f transitions of Eu3+ ions from excited level 5D0 to lower levels 7FJ. The charge transfer state of Eu3+ or direct excitation of the Eu3+ ground state 7F0 into higher levels of the 4f-manifold are both attributed to the PL peaks that appear in the excitation PL spectra of the obtained coatings. The fact that the transition 5D07F2 (electrical dipole transition) in Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coatings is considerably stronger than the transition 5D07F1 (magnetic dipole transition) indicates that Eu3+ ions occupied sites with non-inversion symmetry. Because of oxygen vacancy formation, the Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coatings had a higher PA in the degradation of methyl orange than the pure MgAl oxide coating. The highest PA was found in Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coating formed in an aluminate electrolyte with 4 g/L of Eu2O3 particles. The PA, morphology, and phase of Eu3+-doped MgAl oxide coatings did not change after several consecutive runs, indicating outstanding stability of these photocatalysts. Full article
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9 pages, 2536 KiB  
Article
A Rapid Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Method for Pb2+ Detection Using L-Cysteine-Modified Ag-Coated Au Nanoparticles with Core–Shell Nanostructure
by Zhou Xu, Linwei Zhang, Bo Mei, Jia Tu, Rong Wang, Maolong Chen and Yunhui Cheng
Coatings 2018, 8(11), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings8110394 - 10 Nov 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5848
Abstract
A rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for Pb2+ detection has been developed based on l-cysteine-modified Ag-coated Au nanoparticles with core-shell nanostructure. Specifically, l-cysteine-functionalized Au@Ag core-shell probes bearing Raman-labeling molecules (4-ATP) are used to detect Pb2+ upon the formation [...] Read more.
A rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method for Pb2+ detection has been developed based on l-cysteine-modified Ag-coated Au nanoparticles with core-shell nanostructure. Specifically, l-cysteine-functionalized Au@Ag core-shell probes bearing Raman-labeling molecules (4-ATP) are used to detect Pb2+ upon the formation of nanoparticle aggregates. The proposed SERS-based method shows a linear range between 5 pM and 10 nM, with an unprecedented limit of detection (LOD) of 1 pM for Pb2+; this LOD shows the method to be a few orders of magnitude more sensitive than the typical colorimetric approach that is based on the aggregation of noble metal nanoparticles. Real water samples diluted with pure water have been successfully analyzed. This SERS-based assay may provide a general and simple approach for the detection of other metal ions of interest, and so could have wide-ranging applications in many areas. Full article
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