Aluminum-based localized surface plasmon resonance for biosensing

Aluminum-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) exhibits attractive properties including low cost, high natural abundance, and ease of processing by a wide variety of methods including complementary metal oxide semiconductor process, thereby making it superior to conventional LSPR involving noble metals. Moreover, the intrinsic property of the broad plasmon resonances of Al exhibited across the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared wavelength region can be utilized on demand in refractive index biosensing, surface-enhanced fluorescence, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. This review focuses on the recent developments of LSPR biosensing with aluminum nanostructures and related areas. Firstly, we introduce LSPR biosensing and the advantages of Al-based plasmonics. Then, we describe the different biosensing strategies employing Al LSPRs in detail. Subsequently, we provide an overview of various well-defined Al nanostructures and their fabrication methods. Finally, the future research trends of Al-based LSPR biosensing are highlighted and a conclusion with perspectives is given.