Spectroscopic ellipsometry study of gold nanostructures for LSPR bio-sensing applications

Abstract This main aim of this work is the development of optical biosensors based on the LSPR phenomenon in nano-structured gold films suitable for detection of low molecular weight analytes such as mycotoxins. A simple technology of annealing thin gold films was utilized for the formation of gold nano-islands exhibiting the LSPR effect. The morphology of gold nano-structures produced was studied with SEM and AFM, and their optical properties were analysed with UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The position of LSPR band appeared to depend on the dimensions of gold nano-islands. The dependence of the LSPR band spectral shift on the refractive index of a medium was studied with both UV-vis absorption and SE, and the refractive index sensitivity (RIS) was evaluated. The method of SE gave from two to three times higher values of RIS as compared to those obtained by absorption spectroscopy. LSPR bio-sensing tests were attempted using total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE); a noticeable spectral shift was recorded on course of immune binding of Aflatoxin B1 to specific antibodies immobilized on the surface of gold.