Ultra-Sensitive Sensor with Gold Nanoparticle Array

University of Bath, United Kingdom

In the sensor, gold nanodisks are arranged in squares, shown on the bottom left. The arrangement causes the sensor to emit UV light (in blue). (Image: V.K Valev and D.C Hooper)

Researchers have developed a new type of sensor platform using a gold nanoparticle array. The sensor is made up of a series of gold disk-shaped nanoparticles on a glass slide. When an infrared laser is pointed at a precise arrangement of the particles, they start to emit unusual amounts of ultraviolet (UV) light.

This mechanism for generating UV light is affected by molecules binding to the surface of the nanoparticles, providing a means of sensing a very small amount of material. The gold nanoparticle disks are arranged on a glass slide in a very precise array — changing the thickness and separation of the disks completely changes the detected signal.

When molecules bind to the surface of a gold nanoparticle, they affect the electrons at the gold surface, causing them to change the amount of UV light they emit. The amount of UV light emitted would depend on the type of molecules that bind to the surface.

The researchers hope that in the future they can use the technology to develop new ultra-sensitive sensors for air pollution or for medical diagnostics, or for other applications that require detection of small molecules. It could be used, for example, to detect very low concentrations of biological markers for early diagnostic screening for diseases such as cancer.

For more information, contact Vicky Just at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; +44 079-663-41357.