title: Improving nanoprobes using surface-enhanced Raman scattering from 30-nm hollow gold particles.
abstract: We report the development of nanoprobes that exploit the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from nonaggregated, hollow, gold nanospheres (HGNSs). The homogeneity of the HGNSs leads to a nearly 10-fold improvement in signal consistency over standard silver SERS substrates, which translates into a significant increase in sensitivity and dynamic range for the model application of pH sensing. Moreover, the small size (30-nm diameter) of these SERS-active nanoparticles represents a major step in advancing sensing technology based on SERS, making this technology more amenable to intracellular sensing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schwartzberg
authors.forename: Tammy Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Oshiro
authors.forename: Jin Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huser
authors.forename: Chad E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Talley
mesh_terms: D015342:DNA Probes; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D006046:Gold