PhotoniX, Volume. 5, Issue 1, 22(2024)

Real-time monitoring of fast gas dynamics with a single-molecule resolution by frequency-comb-referenced plasmonic phase spectroscopy

Duy-Anh Nguyen1...2,†, Dae Hee Kim1,†, Geon Ho Lee1, San Kim3,4, Dong-Chel Shin1, Jongkyoon Park3,4, Hak-Jong Choi6, Seung-Woo Kim1, Seungchul Kim3,4,*, and Young-Jin Kim15,** |Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Science Town, Daejeon 34141, South Korea
  • 2Department of Mechatronic Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • 3Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
  • 4Department of Optics and Mechatronics Engineering, College of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea
  • 5School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
  • 6Institute of Machinery and Materials, Nano-Convergence Mechanical Systems Research Division, Korea , 156, Gajeongbuk-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon 34103, South Korea
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    Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are based on photon-excited surface charge density oscillations confined at metal-dielectric interfaces, which makes them highly sensitive to biological or chemical molecular bindings to functional metallic surfaces. Metal nanostructures further concentrate surface plasmons into a smaller area than the diffraction limit, thus strengthening photon-sample interactions. However, plasmonic sensors based on intensity detection provide limited resolution with long acquisition time owing to their high vulnerability to environmental and instrumental noises. Here, we demonstrate fast and precise detection of noble gas dynamics at single molecular resolution via frequency-comb-referenced plasmonic phase spectroscopy. The photon-sample interaction was enhanced by a factor of 3,852 than the physical sample thickness owing to plasmon resonance and thermophoresis-assisted optical confinement effects. By utilizing a sharp plasmonic phase slope and a high heterodyne information carrier, a small atomic-density modulation was clearly resolved at 5 Hz with a resolution of 0.06 Ar atoms per nano-hole (in 10–11 RIU) in Allan deviation at 0.2 s; a faster motion up to 200 Hz was clearly resolved. This fast and precise sensing technique can enable the in-depth analysis of fast fluid dynamics with the utmost resolution for a better understanding of biomedical, chemical, and physical events and interactions.

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    Duy-Anh Nguyen, Dae Hee Kim, Geon Ho Lee, San Kim, Dong-Chel Shin, Jongkyoon Park, Hak-Jong Choi, Seung-Woo Kim, Seungchul Kim, Young-Jin Kim. Real-time monitoring of fast gas dynamics with a single-molecule resolution by frequency-comb-referenced plasmonic phase spectroscopy[J]. PhotoniX, 2024, 5(1): 22

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Feb. 4, 2024

    Accepted: Jul. 29, 2024

    Published Online: Jan. 23, 2025

    The Author Email: Kim Seungchul (s.kim@pusan.ac.kr), Kim Young-Jin (yj.kim@kaist.ac.kr)

    DOI:10.1186/s43074-024-00140-9

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