An SERS unit includes a support 10 that includes a cavity 11 provided with an opening 12, an optical functional portion 20 that is disposed in the cavity 11 to face the opening 12 and causes surface enhanced Raman scattering, and a package 5 that accommodates the support 10 and is evacuated. The package 5 is in contact with at least an edge 12a of the opening 12, and is bent toward the optical functional portion 20 in a state in which the package 5 is spaced apart from the optical functional portion 20 in the opening 12.

A Raman spectroscopic measurement system for measuring the material composition of a mixed phase fluid having a gas phase dispersed in a liquid phase or vice versa is disclosed, which includes an insert to be inserted into a process. The insert includes a measurement chamber partially defined by a phase separating membrane that enables the gas phase to diffuse into and out of the measurement chamber and facilitates coalescing of the liquid phase which into a collector. A first probe of the measurement system is configured to transmit excitation light into the measurement chamber and to receive a Raman signal emanating from the gas phase therein, and a second probe is configured to transmit excitation light into the drain and to receive a Raman signal emanating from the liquid phase therein. The measurement system further includes a spectrometer to determine the material composition of the fluid from the Raman signals.

A method for fabricating a composite film structure, the method includes determining a desired morphology for a metallic layer of the composite film structure, selecting a first metal substrate based on the determining, transferring a graphene layer onto the first metal substrate, depositing the metallic layer on the graphene layer to achieve the desired morphology, and removing the first metal substrate from the graphene and the deposited metallic layer to form the composite film structure. A surface energy difference between the first metal substrate and the deposited metallic layer results in the desired morphology of the metallic layer.

Disclosed herein are methods comprising: illuminating a first location of an optothermal substrate with electromagnetic radiation; wherein the optothermal substrate converts at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation into thermal energy; and wherein the optothermal substrate is in thermal contact with a liquid sample comprising a plurality of thermally reducible metal ions; thereby: generating a confinement region at a location in the liquid sample proximate to the first location of the optothermal substrate; trapping at least a portion of the plurality of thermally reducible metal ions within the confinement region; and thermally reducing the trapped portion of the plurality of thermally reducible metal ions; thereby: depositing a metal particle on the optothermal substrate at the first location. Also disclosed herein are systems for performing the methods described herein. Also disclosed herein are patterned substrates made by the methods described herein, and methods of use thereof.

A hand-held microfluidic testing device is provided that includes a housing having a cartridge receiving port, a cartridge for input to the cartridge receiving port having a sample input and a channel, where the channel includes a mixture of Raman-scattering nanoparticles and a calibration solution, where the calibration solution includes chemical compounds capable of interacting with a sample under test input to the cartridge and the Raman-scattering nanoparticles, and an optical detection system in the housing, where the optical detection system is capable of providing an illuminated electric field, where the illuminating electric field is capable of being used for Raman spectroscopy with the Raman-scattering nanoparticles and the calibration solution to analyze the sample under test input to the cartridge.

A method for fabricating a composite film structure, the method includes determining a desired morphology for a metallic layer of the composite film structure, selecting a first metal substrate based on the determining, transferring a graphene layer onto the first metal substrate, depositing the metallic layer on the graphene layer to achieve the desired morphology, and removing the first metal substrate from the graphene and the deposited metallic layer to form the composite film structure. A surface energy difference between the first metal substrate and the deposited metallic layer results in the desired morphology of the metallic layer.

In one example, an analyte detection package includes a substrate, surface-enhanced luminescence (SEL) structures extending from the substrate and a low wettability housing. The SEL structures have a first wettability for a given liquid. The low wettability housing extends from the substrate to form a chamber between the housing of the substrate about the SEL structures to receive an analyte containing solution. The housing has an inner surface adjacent the chamber, wherein the inner surface has a second wettability for the given liquid less than the first wettability.

A housing may include sidewalls and a base extending between and supported by the sidewalls. The base and the sidewalls form a cavity. The housing support they substrate. The substrate supports a surface enhanced luminescence stage between the substrate and the base.

A SERS unit comprises an integrally formed handling board and a SERS element secured within a container space provided in the handling board so as to open to one side in a thickness direction of the handling board. The SERS element has a substrate arranged on an inner surface of the container space and an optical function part formed on the substrate, for generating surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

The invention relates to a device for analyzing biological objects comprising a Raman spectroscopy system for capturing at least one Raman spectrum. The device comprises an arresting apparatus, which is designed to at least temporarily arrest the biological objects. An electronic computing apparatus is designed to determine a reaction of a biological object arrested by the arresting apparatus to at least one substance in accordance with an evaluation of the at least one Raman spectrum.