This book documents the tremendous progress in the use of nanotechnology for a range of bioapplications with the aim of providing students, researchers, technicians, and other professionals with an up-to-date overview of the field. After a general introduction to the surface modifications of nanoparticles required for different biological applications, and to the properties of the modified nanoparticles, a series of chapters describe the state of the art in respect of different types of nanoparticle, including silica nanoparticles, fluorescent nanomaterials, metal nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon-based nanostructures, and other novel nanomaterials. Detailed information is supplied on methods of preparation, chemical and physical properties, and current and potential applications. The closing chapters discuss lithography methods for the top-down approach to nanoparticle synthesis and the use of spectroscopic studies as a tool for the characterization of each nanoparticle. Future prospects and challenges for the development of further nanomaterials with bioapplications are also covered.

This unique volume provides a broad introduction to plasmon resonances in nanoparticles and their novel applications. Here, plasmon resonances are treated as an eigenvalue problem for specific boundary integral equations and general physical properties of plasmon spectrum are studied in detail. The coupling of incident radiation to specific plasmon modes, the time dynamics of their excitation and dephasing are also analytically treated. Finally, the applications of plasmon resonances to SERS, light controllability (gating) of plasmon resonances in semiconductor nanoparticles, the use of plasmon resonances in thermally assisted magnetic recording (TAMR), as well as in all-optical magnetic recording and for enhancement of magneto-optic effects are presented.

Based on a popular article in Laser and Photonics Reviews, this book provides an explanation and overview of the techniques used to model, make, and measure metal nanoparticles, detailing results obtained and what they mean. It covers the properties of coupled metal nanoparticles, the nonlinear optical response of metal nanoparticles, and the phenomena that arise when light-emitting materials are coupled to metal nanoparticles. It also provides an overview of key potential applications and offers explanations of computational and experimental techniques giving readers a solid grounding in the field.

Nanoparticles with their unique properties are interesting building blocks for the construction of new nanomaterials. By controlling the composition as well as the structure of these nanoparticle-based materials, novel properties can emerge. In this thesis, a new type of protein-based materials was realized by using an innovative design approach with two oppositely charged ferritin protein containers as template for the precise positioning of the nanoparticles. Nanoparticle incorporation inside the protein container cavity was performed by encapsulation of surface functionalized gold nanoparticles with a dis- and reassembly approach or synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles in situ inside the protein container cavity. The crystallization of oppositely charged protein containers with nanoparticle cargo yielded highly ordered nanoparticle superlattices as free-standing crystals, with up to a few hundred micrometers in size. Structural studies and characterization of optical as well as catalytic properties of the binary crystals were performed. Because the protein scaffold is independent of the nanoparticle cargo, this modular approach will enable tuning of the material properties by choice of nanoparticle content, assembly type and protein container type.

Plasmonic Sensors and their Applications A practically-focused reference and guide on the use of plasmonic sensing as a faster and cheaper alternative to conventional sensing platforms Plasmons, the collective oscillations of electrons occurring at the interface between any two materials, are sensitive to changes in dielectric properties near metal surfaces. Plasmonic sensors enable the real-time study of unique surface properties by monitoring the effect of the material interaction at the sensor surface. Plasmonic sensing techniques offer fast, label-free analysis, and hold advantages over labelling techniques such as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Plasmonic Sensors and their Applications examines the development and use of highly sensitive and selective plasmonic sensing platforms in chemistry, biotechnology, and medicine. Contributions by an international panel of experts provide timely and in-depth coverage of both real-world applications and academic research in the dynamic field. The authors describe advances in nanotechnology, polymer chemistry, and biomedicine, explore new and emerging applications of plasmonic sensing, discuss future trends and potential research directions, and more. This authoritative volume: Demonstrates why plasmonic sensing is a profitable method for easy and label-free analysis in real-time Covers a variety of applications of plasmonic sensors, such as disease diagnostics, vitamin detection, and detection of chemical and biological warfare agents Includes a brief introduction to the history and development of plasmonic sensors Provides concise theory and background for every application covered in the text Plasmonic Sensors and their Applications is an invaluable resource for analytical chemists, biochemists, biotechnologists, protein and surface chemists, and advanced students of biotechnology.

This book gives a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in both theory and practical implementation of plasmonic probes. Encompassing multiple disciplines, the field of plasmonics provides a versatile and flexible platform for nanoscale sensing and imaging. Despite being a relatively young field, plasmonic probes have come a long way, with applications in chemical, biological, civil, and architectural fields as well as enabling many analytical schemes such as immunoassay, biomarkers, environmental indexing, and water quality sensing, to name but a few. The objective of the book is to present in-depth analysis of the theory and applications of novel probes based on plasmonics, with a broad selection of specially-invited chapters on the development, fabrication, functionalization, and implementation of plasmonic probes as well as their integration with current technologies and future outlook. This book is designed to cater to the needs of novice, seasoned researchers and practitioners in academia and industry, as well as medical and environmental fields.