• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2021

For higher sensitivity in ultraviolet (UV) and even vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detection of silicon-based sensors, a sandwich-structured film sensor based on Ag Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) was designed and fabricated. This film sensor was composed of a Ag nanoparticles (NPs) layer, SiO2 buffer and fluorescence layer by physical vapour deposition and thermal annealing. By tuning the annealing temperature and adding the SiO2 layer, the resonance absorption wavelength of Ag NPs matched with the emission wavelength of the fluorescence layer. Due to the strong plasmon resonance coupling and electromagnetic field formed on the surface of Ag NPs, the radiative recombination rate of the luminescent materials and the number of fluorescent molecules in the excited state increased. Therefore, the fluorescent emission intensity of the sandwich-structured film sensor was 1.10-1.58 times at 120-200 nm and 2.17-2.93 times at 240-360 nm that of the single-layer film sensor. A feasible method is provided for improving the detection performance of UV and VUV detectors.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.8
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• pp.417-421
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• 2016

We improve the energy conversion efficiency (ECE) of a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by preparing a working electrode (WE) with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) by inducing Au thin films with thickness of 0.0 to 5.0 nm, deposited via sputtering. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the microstructure of the blocking layer (BL) of the Au thin films. Micro-Raman measurement was employed to confirm the LSPR effect, and a solar simulator and potentiostat were used to evaluate the photovoltaic properties, including the impedance and the I-V of the DSSC of the Au thin films. The results of the microstructural analysis confirmed that nano-sized Au agglomerates were present at certain thicknesses. The photovoltaic results show that the ECE reached a value of 5.34% with a 1-nm thick-Au thin film compared to the value of 5.15 % without the Au thin film. This improvement was a result of the increase in the LSPR of the $TiO_2$ layer that resulted from the Au thin film coating. Our results imply that the ECE of a DSSC may be improved by coating with a proper thickness of Au thin film on the BL.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.662-662
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• 2013

Over the last several decades, innovative light-harvesting devices have evolved to achieve high efficiency in solar energy transfer. Research on the mechanisms for plasmon resonance is very desirable to overcome the conventional efficiency limits of photovoltaics. The influence of localized surface plasmon resonance on hot electron flow at a metal-semiconductor interface was observed with a Schottky diode composed of a thin silver layer on $TiO_2$. The photocurrent is generated by absorption of photons when electrons have enough energy to travel over the Schottky barrier and into the titanium oxide conduction band. The correlation between the hot electrons and the surface plasmon is confirmed by matching the range of peaks between the incident photons to current conversion efficiency (IPCE, flux of collected electrons per flux of incident photons) and UV-Vis spectra. The photocurrent measured on Ag/$TiO_2$ exhibited surface plasmon peaks; whereas, in contrast to the Au/$TiO_2$, a continuous Au thin film doesn't exhibit surface plasmon peaks. We modified the thickness and morphology of a continuous Ag layer by electron beam evaporation deposition and heating under gas conditions and found that the morphological change and thickness of the Ag film are key factors in controlling the peak position of light absorption.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.363-369
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• 2016

We explored localized plasmonic field enhancements using nanowire patterns to improve the sensitivity of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Two different materials, gold and silver, were considered for sample materials. Gold and silver nanowire patterns were fabricated by electron beam lithography for experimental measurements. The wavelength SPR sensor was also designed for these experiments. The material-dependent field enhancements on nanowire patterns were first calculated based on Maxwell's equations. Resonance wavelength shifts were indicated as changes in the refractive index from 1.33 to 1.36. The SPR sensor with silver nanowire patterns showed a much larger resonance wavelength shift than the sensor with gold nanowire patterns, in good agreement with simulation results. These results suggest that silver nanowire patterns are more efficient than gold nanowire patterns, and could be used for sensitivity enhancements in situations where biocompatibility is not a consideration.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2011

LSPR(Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance) sensor measures the refractive index change on the sensor surface. The detection of biological reaction with the unknown refractive index needs to be converted into the signal sensitivity for the refractive index change for comparison with other measurements. To find the signal sensitivity, the three steps of signal processing are proposed, which are signal modeling, signal calibration and signal normalization of LSPR sensor. The detected signal of biotin-streptavidin interaction has been converted into unit of [RU](Resonance Unit) using the proposed method. The converted signal directly can be compared with the other sensors including commercialized one.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.547-553
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• 2024

Precise control over the morphology of nanostructures is critical for tailoring their physical and chemical properties. This study addresses the challenge of developing a simple, integrated method for synthesizing both 1D and 2D colloidal Cu nanostructures in a single system, achieving successful tuning of their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties. A facile hydrothermal synthesis utilizing potassium iodide (KI) and hexadecylamine (HDA) is presented for controlling Cu nanostructure morphologies. The key to achieving 1D nanowires (NWs) and 2D nanoplates (NPs) depends on the controlled adsorption of HDA molecules and iodide (I-) ions on specific crystal facets. Depending on the morphologies, the resultant Cu nanostructures exhibit tunable LSPR peaks from 558 nm [nanoplates (NPs)] to 590 nm [nanowires (NWs)]. These results pave the way for the scalable and cost-effective production of plasmonic Cu nanostructures with tunable optical properties, holding promise for applications in sensing, catalysis, and photonic devices.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.507-508
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• 2010

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.198-203
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• 2011

We have conducted a theoretical study to improve the detection limit of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor by co-localizing plasmonic fields and target molecules of interest. The fields were localized by nanograting antennas, while target molecules that participate in a molecular interaction were assumed to be co-localized by angled evaporation of a dielectric mask layer on the nanograting antennas. We have performed the evaluation using an overlap integral between distributions of plasmon fields and molecules and confirmed the correlation of the overlap with the sensitivity of an SPR sensor. Based on the calculated sensor characteristics, it was found that the sensitivity, if the fields and molecules are co-localized, can be as much as ten times that of non-colocalized structure.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2012

In this report, we demonstrate that the longitudinal localized surface plasmon resonance mode can be suppressed when the nanorods were in dumbbell shape. The seed nanorods were synthesized by electrochemical deposition of metals into the pores of anodic aluminum oxide templates. The dumbbell-like nanorods were grown from seed Au-Ni-Au nanorods by a rate-controlled seed-mediated growth strategy. The selective deposition of Au atoms onto Au blocks of Au-Ni-Au nanorods produced larger diameter of Au nanorods with bumpy surface resulting in dumbbell-like nanorods. The morphology of nanorods depended on the reduction rate of $AuCl_4^-$, slow rate producing smooth surface of Au nanorods, but high reduction rate producing bumpy surface morphology. Through systematic investigation into the UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, we found that the multiple localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) modes were available from single-component Au nanorods. And, their LSPR modes of Au NRs with bumpy surface, compared to the smooth seed Au NRs, were red-shifted, which was obviously attributed to the increased electron oscillation pathways. While the longitudinal LSPR modes of smoothly grown Au NRs were blue-shifted except for a dipole transverse LSPR mode, which can be interpreted by decreased aspect ratio. In addition, dumbbell-like nanorods showed an almost disappeared longitudinal LSPR mode. It reflects that the plasmonic properties can be engineered using complex nanorods structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.126-126
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• 2014

Label-free biomolecular assay based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of noble metal nanoparticles enables simple and rapid detection with the use of simple equipment. Nanosized metal nanoparticles exhibit a strong absorption band when the incident light frequency is resonant with the collective oscillation of the electrons, which is known as the LSPR. Here we demonstrate localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) substrates such as plasmonic Au nanodisks fabricated by a nanoimprinting process and gold nanorod-immobilized surfaces and their applications to highly sensitive and/or label-free biosensing. To increase detection sensitivity various bioreceptors weree designed. A single chain variable fragment (scFv) was used as a receptor to bind C-reactive protein (CRP). The results of this effort showed that CRP in human serum could be quantitatively detected lower than 1 ng/ml. Aptamers, which were immobilized on gold nanorods, were used to detect mycotoxins. The specific binding of ochratoxin A (OTA) to the aptamer was monitored by the longitudinal wavelength shift of LSPR peak in the UV-Vis spectra resulting from the changes of local refractive index near the GNR surface induced by accumulation of OTA and G-quadruplex structure formation of the aptamer. According to our results, OTA could be quantitatively detected lower than 1 nM level. Additionally, aptamer-functionalized GNR substrate was quite robust and can be regenerated many times by rinsing at 70 OC to remove bound target. During seven times of washing steps, the developed OTA sensing system could be reusable. Moreover, the proposed biosensor exhibited selectivity over other mycotoxins with an excellent recovery for detection in grinded corn samples, suggesting that the proposed LSPR based aptasensor plays an important role in label-free detection of mycotoxins.