Maximizing the Surface Sensitivity of LSPR Biosensors through Plasmon Coupling—Interparticle Gap Optimization for Dimers Using Computational Simulations

The bulk and surface refractive index sensitivities of LSPR biosensors, consisting of coupled plasmonic nanosphere and nano-ellipsoid dimers, were investigated by simulations using the boundary element method (BEM). The enhancement factor, defined as the ratio of plasmon extinction peak shift of multi-particle and single-particle arrangements caused by changes in the refractive index of the environment, was used to quantify the effect of coupling on the increased sensitivity of the dimers. The bulk refractive index sensitivity (RIS) was obtained by changing the dielectric medium surrounding the nanoparticles, while the surface sensitivity was modeled by depositing dielectric layers on the nanoparticle in an increasing thickness. The results show that by optimizing the interparticle gaps for a given layer thickness, up to ~80% of the optical response range of the nanoparticles can be utilized by confining the plasmon field between the particles, which translates into an enhancement of ~3–4 times compared to uncoupled, single particles with the same shape and size. The results also show that in these cases, the surface sensitivity enhancement is significantly higher than the bulk RI sensitivity enhancement (e.g., 3.2 times vs. 1.8 times for nanospheres with a 70 nm diameter), and thus the sensors’ response for molecular interactions is higher than their RIS would indicate. These results underline the importance of plasmonic coupling in the optimization of nanoparticle arrangements for biosensor applications. The interparticle gap should be tailored with respect to the size of the used receptor/target molecules to maximize the molecular sensitivity, and the presented methodology can effectively aid the optimization of fabrication technologies.

Photocurrent Enhancement of PtSe2 Photodetectors by Using Au Nanorods

Compact and highly sensitive near-infrared photodetectors that are operable at room temperature are required for light detection and ranging and medical devices. Two-dimensional (2D) PtSe2, a transition metal dichalcogenide, is a candidate material for near-infrared light detection. However, the photoresponse properties of 2D PtSe2 are currently inferior to those of commercial materials. The localized surface plasmon resonance of Au has been widely used for photoelectric field enhancement and in photochemical reactions associated with phase relaxation from plasmon states that occur at specific wavelengths. Spherical Au nanocolloids exhibit an extinction peak in the visible light region, whereas nanorods can be tuned to exhibit the extinction peak in the near-infrared region by controlling their aspect ratio. In this study, hybrid Au nanorod/2D PtSe2 structure was fabricated via spin coating nanorods, with plasmon peaks in the near-infrared region, on 2D PtSe2. Furthermore, the effect of the concentration of the nanorod solution on the photoresponse of nanorod/2D PtSe2 was investigated. The photocurrent of 5 nM Au nanorod-coated 2D PtSe2 was fivefold higher than that of bare 2D PtSe2. The responsivity was maximum 908 μW/A at 0.5 V bias voltage. In addition, the photocurrent enhancement mechanism by Au nanorods is discussed.

Radiolarian biodiversity dynamics through the Triassic and Jurassic: implications for proximate causes of the end-Triassic mass extinction

Within a ∼60-Myr interval in the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, a major mass extinction took place at the end of Triassic, and several biotic and environmental events of lesser magnitude have been recognized. Climate warming, ocean acidification, and a biocalcification crisis figure prominently in scenarios for the end-Triassic event and have been also suggested for the early Toarcian. Radiolarians, as the most abundant silica-secreting marine microfossils of the time, provide a control group against marine calcareous taxa in testing selectivity and responses to changing environmental parameters. We analyzed the origination and extinction rates of radiolarians, using data from the Paleobiology Database and employing sampling standardization, the recently developed gap-filler equations and an improved stratigraphic resolution at the substage level. The major end-Triassic event is well-supported by a late Rhaetian peak in extinction rates. Because calcifying and siliceous organisms appear similarly affected, we consider global warming a more likely proximate trigger of the extinctions than ocean acidification. The previously reported smaller events of radiolarian turnover fail to register above background levels in our analyses. The apparent early Norian extinction peak is not significant compared to the long-term trajectory, and is probably a sampling artifact. The Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, previously also thought to have caused a significant radiolarian turnover, did not significantly affect the group. Radiolarian diversity history appears unique and complexly forced, as its trajectory parallels major calcareous fossil groups at some events and deviates at others.

Fabrication of Gold Nanodot Array for the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is a promising method for detecting antigen-antibody binding in label-free biosensors. In this study, the fabrication of a LSPR substrate with a gold nanodot array through the lift-off process of an alumina mask is reported. The substrate showed an extinction peak in its extinction spectrum, and the peak position was dependent on the height of the gold nanodot array, and the change of extinction peak with the height could be predicted by the numerical simulation. In addition, the peak position was observed to be red-shifted with the increasing RIU value of the medium surrounding the gold nanodot array. In particular, the peak position in the 10 nm thick gold nanodot array was approximately 710 nm in air, and the sensitivity, defined as the ratio of the shift of peak position to the RIU of the medium, was 323.6 nm/RIU. The fabrication procedure could be applied to fabricate the LSPR substrates with a large area.

Controllable Extinction Property of Au/SiO2 Nanocomposite Induced by Neutralization Reaction Time

The Au/SiO2nanocomposite was produced using surface active agent P123, and its optical absorption spectra was measured by spectrophotometer. It was found that the intensity of absorption peak was strengthened and underwent a red-shift as the neutralization reaction time extended. The variation of optical extinction property of one gold particle (GP) with different size had been investigated by Mie theory. It was found that the extinction property of the single spherical GP possessed an obvious size effect. The extinction property of Au/SiO2nanocomposite had been analyzed by Maxwell-Garnett (MG) theory. It showed that the extinction peak underwent a red-shift and the extinction intensity was strengthened when the size of gold nanoparticles (GNs) increased. The theoretical and the experimental results show that the extinction property of Au/SiO2nanocomposite changes because the scattering effect of GNs are strengthened when their sizes increased by controlling the neutralization reaction time.

Latest Changhsingian orthotetid brachiopods in the Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy): ecological opportunists at the peak of the end-Permian mass extinction

The majority of Changhsingian orthotetid brachiopod species from the Southern Alps were described by the end of the nineteenth century, but were then neglected by subsequent authors who proposed further new species, giving rise to great taxonomical confusion. An examination of type-specimens and newly collected material permits the consideration ofOrthothetina ladina(Stache, 1878) andOmbonia tirolensis(Stache, 1878), type-species ofOmbonia, as the only valid species and describeTeserina neriias a new genus and species. The former two species are mostly located within a short stratigraphic interval, which is a few centimetres thick, limited by the trigger and peak of the end-Permian mass extinction.Teserina neriin. gen. n. sp. occurs 2–3 m above the extinction peak and represents one of the last Permian rhynchonelliform brachiopod holdovers in the Southern Alps.

3.0 To 3.5 Micron Spectrum of V348 Sgr and R CrB

The circumstellar dust in R CrB stars is often thought to be due to graphite, because of the high carbon abundance in the stars. Further, the spectra of these stars in the infrared show feature-less smooth continuum (Forrest 1974, Roche and Aitken 1984) which was also thought to be characteristic of graphite. However, the recent comparison of the ultraviolet spectra obtained at maximum and minimum light of R CrB showed an extinction peak in the region of 2400 to 2500A (Holm, Wu & Doherty 1982, Hecht et al. 1984) which was identified as due to amorphous or glassy carbon particles. According to Duley and Williams (1981,83) amorphous carbon is supposed to show spectral features in the 3.3-3.4 μm region. Further many dust emission features are also supposed to appear in the spectral region 3 to 3.5 μm (Aikten 1981). The previous studies in this spectral region in R CrB (Forrest 1974) and in the hotter star V348 Sgr (Allen et al. 1982) showed smooth continuum. V348 Sgr shows spectroscopically many similarities with other WC 11 stars and was grouped with CPD-56°8032, He 2-113 and M4-18 (Webster and Glass 1974). All these three stars show strong dust emission features at 3.3, 8.6 11.25 μm. With a view to search for weaker dust spectral features we obtained the spectrum of R CrB and V348 Sgr with higher resolution than employed before.