title: Simulation and implementation of a morphology-tuned gold nano-islands integrated plasmonic sensor.
abstract: This work presents simulation, analysis and implementation of morphology tuning of gold nano-island structures deposited by a novel convective assembly technique. The gold nano-islands were simulated using 3D Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) techniques to investigate the effect of morphological changes and adsorption of protein layers on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties. Gold nano-island structures were deposited on glass substrates by a novel and low-cost convective assembly process. The structure formed by an uncontrolled deposition method resulted in a nano-cluster morphology, which was annealed at various temperatures to tune the optical absorbance properties by transforming the nano-clusters to a nano-island morphology by modifying the structural shape and interparticle separation distances. The dependence of the size and the interparticle separation distance of the nano-islands on the LSPR properties were analyzed in the simulation. The effect of adsorption of protein layer on the nano-island structures was simulated and a relation between the thickness and the refractive index of the protein layer on the LSPR peak was presented. Further, the sensitivity of the gold nano-island integrated sensor against refractive index was computed and compared with the experimental results.
authors.affiliation: Optical Bio-Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal H3G 1M8, Canada. j_ozhik@encs.concordia.ca.
authors.forename: Jayan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ozhikandathil
authors.affiliation: Optical Bio-Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal H3G 1M8, Canada. pmuthu@alcor.concordia.ca.
authors.forename: Muthukumaran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Packirisamy
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011485:Protein Binding; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018511:Systems Integration
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D006046:Gold