The New Jersey Institute of Technology's
Electronic Theses & Dissertations Project

Title:	Nano-structured platforms as a spectroscopic tool
Author:	Li, Ruiqiong
View Online:	njit-etd2009-024 (xiii, 69 pages ~ 4.8 MB pdf)
Department:	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Degree:	Master of Science
Program:	Electrical Engineering
Document Type:	Thesis
Advisory Committee:	Grebel, Haim (Committee chair) Tsybeskov, Leonid (Committee member) Perez-Castillejos, Raquel (Committee member)
Date:	2009-01
Keywords:	Fluorescent signals Fluorescent signal amplification Nano-structured platforms
Availability:	Unrestricted
Abstract:	Nano-structured platforms have been studied for the purpose of enhancing weak fluorescence signals. Each platform was constructed as a thin oxide layer on top of a metal (aluminum) The oxide was perforated with hexagonal array of nano-holes. The pitch of the array was much smaller than the optical wavelengths used. Surface charge waves (Surface Plasmons) could be excited when the platform was oriented at specific direction with respect to the incident optical beam. At this point one can demonstrate that fluorescence signals could be amplified. Since the oxide (alumina) is bio-compatible, one can envision using such platforms in the study of bio-species with fluorescencing biomarkers. Moreover, when imbedding dye chromophores in the structure's nano-pores, one can show that such construction exhibits threshold and gain for the related fluorescence signals.