Electron beam lithography designed chemical nanosensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance

Efficient nanochemosensors designed by electron beam lithography and based on localized surface plasmon resonance excited on noble metal nanocylinders are presented. Using localized surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, we report here a high sensitivity corresponding to a density of about 18 × 10−21 mol of adsorbate per nanocylinders, we present the results obtained with gold and silver nanoparticles. This detection corresponds to less than one monolayer of molecules adsorbate on the nanoparticle. Additionally a subsequent layers deposition of polyelectrolytes is used to detect very thin polymer films. Although the results presented in this work are far from conclusive, the advantages of these nanochemosensors discussed here open the possibilities of further developments in a wide range of chemical and medical applications.