(484j) Microfabricated Silion Nanowire Array Platform for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

This work presents a microfabricated silicon nanowire array chip for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to rapidly detect trace target analytes in biofluids such as serum, urine and exhaled breath. Silicon nanowire array are created by wet etching and coated with silver nanoparticle. Silver nanoparticle coated silicon nanowire array chips are characterized for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The silicon nanowire array can result in significant SERS for target analyst. The chips are used to detect trace THC in exhaled breath by SERS. The results show that silicon nanowire array coated with sputtered silver nanoparticles can achieve a limit of detection of 3.1 pg of THC. The linear relationship between SERS signal and the amount of THC indicate that the method is suitable for quantification of THC concentration in breath.