The central theme of this thesis is the use of imaging Surface Plasmon Resonance (iSPR) as a tool in the characterization of surfaces with laterally varying properties. Within the scope of this work, an instrument for iSPR analysis was designed and built. SPR is a very sensitive technique for monitoring changes in optical properties in the immediate vicinity of a sensor surface, which is very u...

4. LIGAND 10 4.1. Direct versus indirect immobilisation 10 4.2. Covalent immobilisation 11 4.2.1. A general approach 11 4.2.2. Choice of chemistry 12 4.2.3. Prepare the protein 12 4.2.4. Pre-concentration 12 4.2.5. Amine coupling 14 4.2.6. Regeneration 15 4.2.7. Adjusting the immobilisation conditions. 16 4.3. Non-covalent immobilisation (ligand capture) 16 4.3.1. Using an existing strategy 17 ...

A gold nanocage and dye conjugate has been demonstrated for use with photoacoustic imaging and fluorescence detection of protease activity. The detection sensitivity could be maximized by using gold nanocages with a localized surface plasmon resonance peak away from the emission peak of the dye. These hybrids can be potentially used as multimodal contrast agents for molecular imaging.

Here, we show that solution-processed Cu-Sn-S semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) demonstrate a tunable localized surface plasmon resonance band in the near infrared region, where strong saturable absorption occurs. A saturable absorber based on these plasmonic NCs enables the construction of a stable mode-locked femtosecond fiber laser operating at the telecommunication band.

Gold nanoparticles supported on cerium(IV) oxide powder showed strong absorption at around 550 nm due to localized surface plasmon resonance of Au and exhibited a higher level of activity than other Au-supporting samples in mineralization of organic acids in aqueous suspensions under irradiation of visible light (> ca. 520 nm).

A novel pressure sensor has been developed by taking advantage of the orientational dependence of localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanorods embedded in a polymer matrix. This stress-responsive material can be used to record the distribution and magnitude of pressure between two contacting surfaces by outputting optical response.

In this work, a novel photoelectrochemical biosensing strategy was designed for cell assay under 630 nm (red light) excitation. WS2/Au NP nanocomposites were prepared as a photoelectrochemical biosensing substrate. The localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Au NPs tremendously improved the photoelectric conversion efficiency and enhanced the detection sensitivity.