University of Missouri

Sangho Bok

Shubhra Gangopadhyay

Keshab Gangopadhyay

Sheila Ann Grant

Aaron Wood

Cherian Joseph Mathai

Venumadhav Korampally

Sagnik Basuray

Biyan Chen

Samiullah Pathan

Luis Polo-Parada

Syed Barizuddin

The invention broadly relates techniques for imaging and medical diagnosis and, more particularly, to the fabrication of flexible plasmonic gratings and the use thereof in detection of biomarkers. A first aspect of the invention provides for techniques for the fabrication of novel, flexible plasmonic gratings that can be inexpensively fabricated onto fiber optic cables, flexible films and substrates with non-uniform surfaces to enhance the imaging resolution. A second aspect of the invention provides for an ultra&#xac;high sensitivity (single molecule counting) biomarker detection platform useable for medical diagnosis based on a fluorescent sandwich ELISA assay performed on a plasmonic grating platform incorporated with a fluorescence detection unit.

Detection of biomarkers using plasmonic gratings

Provided are nanograting structures and methods of fabrication thereof that allow for stable, robust gratings and nanostructure embedded gratings that enhance electromagnetic field, fluorescence, and photothermal coupling through surface plasmon or, photonic resonance. The gratings produced exhibit long term stability of the grating structure and improved shelf life without degradation of the properties such as fluorescence enhancement. Embodiments of the invention build nanograting structures layer-by-layer to optimize structural and optical properties and to enhance durability.

Fabrication of multilayer nanograting structures

Preparation of Free-Flowing Organosilica Nanoparticles by Forming a solution of an organosilica nanoparticle precursor in a mixed solvent system comprising a first solvent and a second solvent, wherein the first solvent is different from the second solvent, wherein the second solvent has a boiling point which is greater than a boiling point of the first solvent, and wherein the nanoparticle precursor has a greater solubility in the first solvent than in the second solvent; removing at least 50% of the first solvent to form nanoparticles having a mean particle size less than about 25 nanometers dispersed in the solution; adding a coupling agent to the solution to facilitate reacting of the coupling agent with the nanoparticles; and recovering the nanoparticles from the solution, wherein the recovered nanoparticles have the mean particle size of less than about 25 nanometers

Organosilica nanoparticles and method for making

Nanoparticles having a mean particle size of less than about 25 nanometers and a mean pore size of less than 10 nanometers, and a mean surface area of at least 500 m/g; nanoporous films of such nanoparticles; and composites and devices containing such nanoparticles and nanoporous films.

Ultra-low refractive index high surface area nanoparticulate films and nanoparticles

Growing community of inventors

Cedar City, UT, United States of America

Sangho Bok