Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensing has emerged as a powerful technique for label-free and real-time detection of various analytes in fields such as biomedicine, environmental monitoring, and food safety. It relies on the excitation of surface plasmons, which are collective oscillations of electrons at the interface between a metal and a dielectric medium, typically gold or silver.
SPR sensing offers high sensitivity, selectivity, and versatility, making it an attractive platform for numerous applications. In recent years, researchers have focused on enhancing the performance of SPR sensing through the incorporation of nanomaterials and nanostructures, which have revolutionized the field. One of the main advantages of using nanomaterials in SPR sensing is their ability to significantly enhance the sensitivity of the system. By functionalizing the surface of the metal with nanoparticles, such as gold or silver nanoparticles, the surface area available for molecular binding is greatly increased. This leads to improved analyte capture and detection, allowing for lower limits of detection and higher sensitivity. Additionally, the unique optical properties of nanoparticles, such as their localized Surface Plasmon Resonance, can be exploited to enhance the SPR signal and provide a more pronounced response. Nanostructures, such as nanowires, nanorods, and nanoholes, have also been employed to enhance SPR sensing. These structures can be precisely engineered to optimize the interaction between the incident light and the surface plasmons, resulting in increased sensitivity and improved signal-to-noise ratio. For example, the use of nanohole arrays in the metal film can lead to highly localized and enhanced electromagnetic fields, enabling more efficient detection of analytes. Moreover, nanostructures can be tailored to support multiple plasmonic modes, allowing for the simultaneous detection of multiple analytes in a single experiment. In addition to sensitivity enhancement, nanomaterials and nanostructures can improve the selectivity and specificity of Surface Plasmon Resonance sensing. Functionalization of the metal surface with ligands, antibodies, or DNA probes provides a specific binding site for target molecules, ensuring the recognition and capture of only the desired analyte. By carefully designing the surface chemistry, cross-reactivity with non-specific molecules can be minimized, leading to highly selective sensing platforms. Furthermore, the integration of nanomaterials with other recognition elements, such as aptamers or molecularly imprinted polymers, can enhance the selectivity of SPR sensing even further. Another fascinating aspect of incorporating nanomaterials and nanostructures in Surface Plasmon Resonance sensing is the possibility of developing multiplexed sensing platforms. By functionalizing different regions of the metal surface with specific recognition elements, multiple analytes can be simultaneously detected and quantified in a single experiment. This not only saves time and resources but also provides valuable information about complex biological or environmental samples. Multiplexed SPR sensing has the potential to revolutionize fields such as medical diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring, enabling high-throughput and comprehensive analysis. Despite the remarkable progress made in enhancing Surface Plasmon Resonance sensing with nanomaterials and nanostructures, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. The reproducibility and stability of the fabricated nanosystems, as well as their compatibility with biological samples, remain important considerations. Furthermore, the development of cost-effective and scalable fabrication methods is crucial for the widespread adoption of these advanced sensing platforms. The integration of nanomaterials and nanostructures has greatly enhanced the performance of SPR sensing, opening up new opportunities for sensitive, selective, and multiplexed detection of analytes. These nanosystems offer unique advantages, including enhanced sensitivity, improved selectivity, and the potential for multiplexed analysis.
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