Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Stefano Manago, Giuseppe Quero, Gianluigi Zito, Gabriele Tullii, Francesco Galeotti, Marco Pisco, Anna Chiara De Luca, Andrea Cusano
Summary: This study investigated the influence of geometric configuration of SERS-active substrates on interaction with biological targets of various sizes. Results showed that SERS intensity was dependent on substrate geometry and its specific steric interfacing with biological targets.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zixuan Wu, Jianxun Liu, Zhenming Wang, Lei Chen, Yiwei Xu, Zongjun Ma, Delai Kong, Dan Luo, Yan Jun Liu
Summary: We demonstrated a low-cost, highly sensitive hybrid Ag-Cu substrate with enhanced absorption for the excitation laser beam via the nanosphere lithography technique. The substrate consists of a Cu nanoarray covered with Ag nanoparticles, resulting in optimized absorption for the laser beam. Raman enhancement is achieved by incorporating plasmonic hotspots formed by dense Ag nanoparticles. The hybrid Ag-Cu SERS substrates exhibit a highly sensitive and reproducible SERS activity, with potential applications in biosensors, environmental monitoring, and food safety.
Article
Spectroscopy
Hyeong-Min Kim, Hyo-Jun Kim, Jae-Hyoung Park, Seung-Ki Lee
Summary: In this study, gold-palladium bimetallic nanodisks were successfully patterned on optical fibers, exhibiting high refractive index sensitivity and excellent hydrogen sensing performance. The fiber-optic plasmonic nanoprobe, based on nanosphere lithography and chemical growth, has the advantages of high throughput and low cost, making it suitable for remote sensing to detect dangerous environments in the clean energy era.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xin Li, Yijun Zhang, Mingxiao Li, Yang Zhao, Lingqian Zhang, Chengjun Huang
Summary: An improved protocol for preparing 2D colloidal monolayers at the air/water interface was proposed, resulting in wafer-scale monolayers with increased crystal domain size and prevention of nanosphere sinking.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dirk Doehler, Andres Triana, Pascal Buettner, Florian Scheler, Eric S. A. Goerlitzer, Johannes Harrer, Anna Vasileva, Ezzeldin Metwalli, Wolfgang Gruber, Tobias Unruh, Alina Manshina, Nicolas Vogel, Julien Bachmann, Ignacio Minguez-Bacho
Summary: A highly ordered nanostructured transparent electrode is prepared via a combination of nanosphere lithography and anodization, improving pore domain size and reducing defect pore density. The increased electrical contact between the electrode and the conductive substrate results in improved performance of energy conversion devices.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Amr Al Abed, Yuan Wei, Reem M. Almasri, Xinyue Lei, Han Wang, Josiah Firth, Yingge Chen, Nathalie Gouailhardou, Leonardo Silvestri, Torsten Lehmann, Francois Ladouceur, Nigel H. Lovell
Summary: This paper introduces a novel approach using light to sense and transmit electrophysiological signals, demonstrating a passive optrode based on liquid crystal birefringence properties that performs well in terms of linearity, relative responsivity, and bandwidth. The technology has shown potential for miniaturization and could pave the way for high-bandwidth optical telecommunications techniques in ultra-miniature clinical and research applications for neural and cardiac interfaces.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniela Lospinoso, Adriano Colombelli, Mauro Lomascolo, Roberto Rella, Maria Grazia Manera
Summary: Arrays of metal nano-holes have great potential for applications in nano-photonics and optoelectronics. By adjusting the size and composition of the holes, the electromagnetic field distribution can be modulated, leading to hotspot excitations and enhancing Raman spectroscopy.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Changkun Song, Baoyun Ye, Jianyong Xu, Junhong Chen, Wei Shi, Chunpei Yu, Chongwei An, Junwu Zhu, Wenchao Zhang
Summary: Colloidal lithography offers a rapid and low-cost approach to construct 2D periodic surface nanostructures, while a new technique using ultrasonic spray has been proposed for fabricating self-assembly monolayers of polystyrene spheres at the air/water interface. This technique is efficient for both single-sized and binary polystyrene spheres, overcoming the current challenges of preparing large-area self-assembly monolayers. This innovative method has been successfully applied to create a sensitive SERS substrate for selective detection of explosive compounds.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marco Pisco, Francesco Galeotti
Summary: Researchers are working on integrating materials and structures with micro- and nanoscale definition on optical fibers to develop advanced optical fiber probes. Challenges lie in achieving order and implementing feasible geometries, which can be improved by un-attempted methodologies and post-processing treatments. Tools are available to quantify the degree of order in photonic structures for systematic evaluation and potential enhancement of ordered systems.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Oriol Colomer-Ferrer, Serni Toda Cosi, Ylli Conti, David E. Medina-Quiroz, Leonardo Scarabelli, Agustin Mihi
Summary: Templated self-assembly is a versatile method for fabricating plasmonic ordered arrays, and the modification before and after assembly can control the optical properties. Thermal annealing can improve the quality factor of plasmonic resonance in gold nanoparticle arrays.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Nguyen Tran Truc Phuong, Le Hong Tho, Tan Tai Nguyen, Nguyen Nhat Nam, Kieu The Loan Trinh
Summary: Mxenes, a type of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, exhibit excellent properties such as large specific surface area and good electrical conductivity. Recent studies have shown that Mxenes have great potential in optical sensing technology, particularly in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors. This review presents the latest advances in 2D MXenes and their composites for SPR/LSPR-based sensing, covering fabrication methods, properties, and potential applications in optical sensing systems.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hanyu Zheng, You Zhou, Chibuzor Fabian Ugwu, Andrew Du, Ivan I. Kravchenko, Jason G. Valentine
Summary: The paper proposes a novel manufacturing method for metasurfaces based on self-assembly of nanospheres combined with grayscale lithography, enabling large-scale metasurfaces with nonperiodic phase profiles in a cost-effective manner. This approach demonstrates diffraction-limited focusing and holograms on a series of large-scale metalenses, potentially opening new doors for cost-effective and large-scale fabrication of a wide range of metasurface-based optics.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ling-Xin Kong, Meng-Jiao Chi, Cheng Ren, Li-Fa Ni, Zhe Li, Yun-Shan Zhang
Summary: The paper achieves a dual-channel SPR sensor at the end of optical fiber, demonstrating high sensitivity measurements of temperature and humidity through special coating and microcaps on the fiber end facet.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Zhidong Zheng, Meng Shi, Yu Xu, Shaojing Liu, Huiqing Zhong, Qian Shou, Jianlin Huang, Tianyang Luan, Zongbao Li, Xiaobo Xing
Summary: Lab-on-fiber (LOF), as a highly functional platform, has shown great potential in ultrasensitive SERS detection. In this study, a reusable SERS-based LOF platform was developed with a patterned microfluidic chip and a gold-coated optical fiber. Laser-induced thermophoresis was utilized to achieve rich hot spots on the fiber within 5 minutes. The platform exhibited low detection limit and excellent reversibility and stability, making it a promising tool for SERS detection.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lingxin Kong, Xiu Du, Cheng Ren, Weijuan Chen, Kang Yang, Xinwei Wang, Mengjiao Chi, Yihao Wang, Hailong Fang
Summary: In this paper, a three-channel sensor based on double hole optical fiber (DHOF) was reported, which has the simultaneous detection capability of pH value, refractive index, and temperature. The experimental results demonstrate that the three channels of the fiber have good sensitivities to the variations in temperature, refractive index, and pH value. This single optical fiber with three channels has a high integration level and a promising application prospect in Lab-in-fibers.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Marco Pisco, Dia Darwich, Ayman Youssef, Haitham Zaraket, Andrea Cusano
Summary: In this paper, a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) interrogation system is proposed based on laser wavelength modulation. The system utilizes a Digital Supermode - Distributed Bragg Reflector (DS-DBR) laser as the key component, which allows for the extraction of Bragg wavelength information from the modulated signal reflected by the FBG. The system demonstrates a tradeoff between spectral resolution and interrogation speed.
JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Maria Mangini, Maria Antonietta Ferrara, Gianluigi Zito, Stefano Manago, Alberto Luini, Anna Chiara De Luca, Giuseppe Coppola
Summary: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which retain tumor properties and heterogeneity, have high potential clinical values. However, the detection and characterization of CTCs face challenges due to their rarity and difficulty in distinguishing them from white blood cells. Efficient and rapid methods are needed to capture the broad spectrum of tumor cells circulating in the blood.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Federica Scotto di Carlo, Sharon Russo, Francesc Muyas, Maria Mangini, Lorenza Garribba, Laura Pazzaglia, Rita Genesio, Flavia Biamonte, Anna Chiara De Luca, Stefano Santaguida, Katia Scotlandi, Isidro Cortes-Ciriano, Fernando Gianfrancesco
Summary: Profilin 1, encoded by PFN1, is a protein that plays a tumor suppressive role in various adenocarcinomas and pagetic osteosarcomas. However, its exact contribution to tumor development is not fully understood. This study shows that inactivation of Profilin 1 leads to multiple mitotic defects, resulting in chromosomal instability and genome rearrangements in pagetic osteosarcomas. Mechanistically, Profilin 1 is involved in regulating cell division and its deficiency impairs actin filament supply during cytokinesis.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Optics
Giovanni Volpe, Onofrio M. Marago, Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Giuseppe Pesce, Alexander B. Stilgoe, Giorgio Volpe, Georgiy Tkachenko, Viet Giang Truong, Sile Nic Chormaic, Fatemeh Kalantarifard, Parviz Elahi, Mikael Kall, Agnese Callegari, Manuel Marques, Antonio A. R. Neves, Wendel L. Moreira, Adriana Fontes, Carlos L. Cesar, Rosalba Saija, Abir Saidi, Paul Beck, Joerg S. Eismann, Peter Banzer, Thales F. D. Fernandes, Francesco Pedaci, Warwick P. Bowen, Rahul Vaippully, Muruga Lokesh, Basudev Roy, Gregor Thalhammer-Thurner, Monika Ritsch-Marte, Laura Perez Garcia, Alejandro Arzola, Isaac Perez Castillo, Aykut Argun, Till M. Muenker, Bart E. Vos, Timo Betz, Ilaria Cristiani, Paolo Minzioni, Peter J. Reece, Fan Wang, David McGloin, Justus C. Ndukaife, Romain Quidant, Reece P. Roberts, Cyril Laplane, Thomas Volz, Reuven Gordon, Dag Hanstorp, Javier Tello Marmolejo, Graham D. Bruce, Kishan Dholakia, Tongcang Li, Oto Brzobohaty, Stephen H. Simpson, Pavel Zemanek, Felix Ritort, Yael Roichman, Valeriia Bobkova, Raphael Wittkowski, Cornelia Denz, G. V. Pavan Kumar, Antonino Foti, Maria Grazia Donato, Pietro G. Gucciardi, Lucia Gardini, Giulio Bianchi, Anatolii Kashchuk, Marco Capitanio, Lynn Paterson, Philip H. Jones, Kirstine Berg-Sorensen, Younes F. Barooji, Lene B. Oddershede, Pegah Pouladian, Daryl Preece, Caroline Beck Adiels, Anna Chiara De Luca, Alessandro Magazzu, David Bronte Ciriza, Maria Antonia Iati, Grover A. Swartzlander
Summary: Optical tweezers are tools that use light to push, trap, and manipulate objects without physical contact. Since the 1970s, they have evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been widely used in various fields such as life sciences, physics, and engineering. Applications include precise force and torque measurement, micro-rheology of complex fluids, spectroscopy of single micro- and nano-particles, single-cell analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights into the theoretical foundations, designs, and setups of optical forces and tweezers, and offers perspectives for applications in research fields ranging from biophysics to space exploration.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-PHOTONICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sergio Guardato, Rosario Riccio, Mohammed Janneh, Francesco Antonio Bruno, Marco Pisco, Andrea Cusano, Giovanni Iannaccone
Summary: An innovative fiber-optic hydrophone (FOH) capable of detecting small magnitude earthquakes at a very low frequency was developed and tested in the Campi Flegrei volcanic area. It operated concurrently with a well-calibrated PZT hydrophone, recording 33 local earthquakes with epicentral distances less than 2.5 km. The FOH demonstrated a flat response function in the frequency range of 5-70 Hz and is suitable for studying submarine volcanic activity and seismicity of active faults in the ocean.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Aldo Minardo, Romeo Bernini, Gaia Maria Berruti, Giovanni Breglio, Francesco Antonio Bruno, Salvatore Buontempo, Stefania Campopiano, Ester Catalano, Marco Consales, Agnese Coscetta, Andrea Cusano, Maria Alessandra Cutolo, Pasquale Di Palma, Flavio Esposito, Francesco Fienga, Michele Giordano, Antonio Iele, Agostino Iadicicco, Andrea Irace, Mohammed Janneh, Armando Laudati, Marco Leone, Luca Maresca, Vincenzo Romano Marrazzo, Marco Pisco, Giuseppe Quero, Michele Riccio, Anubhav Srivastava, Patrizio Vaiano, Luigi Zeni, Antonello Cutolo
Summary: Our research group, made up of researchers from various universities in Campania, Italy, has been dedicated to studying photonic sensors for safety and security applications in healthcare, industry, and the environment for the past twenty years. This paper is the first in a series of three and it presents the main concepts of the technologies used in our photonic sensors and reviews our key findings in innovative applications for infrastructure and transportation monitoring.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Antonello Cutolo, Romeo Bernini, Gaia Maria Berruti, Giovanni Breglio, Francesco Antonio Bruno, Salvatore Buontempo, Ester Catalano, Marco Consales, Agnese Coscetta, Andrea Cusano, Maria Alessandra Cutolo, Pasquale Di Palma, Flavio Esposito, Francesco Fienga, Michele Giordano, Antonio Iele, Agostino Iadicicco, Andrea Irace, Mohammed Janneh, Armando Laudati, Marco Leone, Luca Maresca, Vincenzo Romano Marrazzo, Aldo Minardo, Marco Pisco, Giuseppe Quero, Michele Riccio, Anubhav Srivastava, Patrizio Vaiano, Luigi Zeni, Stefania Campopiano
Summary: In this paper, the employability of photonics technology in aerospace and submarine applications is explored. The main focus is on the use of optical fiber sensors for safety and security purposes. Recent in-field applications of optical fiber sensors in aircraft monitoring and underwater marine applications are presented and discussed.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Giovanni Breglio, Romeo Bernini, Gaia Maria Berruti, Francesco Antonio Bruno, Salvatore Buontempo, Stefania Campopiano, Ester Catalano, Marco Consales, Agnese Coscetta, Antonello Cutolo, Maria Alessandra Cutolo, Pasquale Di Palma, Flavio Esposito, Francesco Fienga, Michele Giordano, Antonio Iele, Agostino Iadicicco, Andrea Irace, Mohammed Janneh, Armando Laudati, Marco Leone, Luca Maresca, Vincenzo Romano Marrazzo, Aldo Minardo, Marco Pisco, Giuseppe Quero, Michele Riccio, Anubhav Srivastava, Patrizio Vaiano, Luigi Zeni, Andrea Cusano
Summary: This article focuses on environmental monitoring using photonic technologies, including high precision agriculture, soil water content measurement, landslide early warning, new generation seismic sensors, and optical fiber sensors for radiation environments.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Edoardo De Tommasi, Silvia Romano, Vito Mocella, Fabrizio Sgrignuoli, Vittorino Lanzio, Stefano Cabrini, Gianluigi Zito
Summary: The non-trivial polarization topology of bound states in the continuum (BICs) can provide new strategies in nanophotonics by engineering the system's geometric parameters and energy-momentum dispersion. In this study, the topological states associated with the optical field radiated by BICs are investigated when the Dirac-cone-degeneracy is lifted. The theoretical emergence of half-integer topological charges and their experimental demonstration using spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion are shown. The device can also generate vortices with different orbital angular momentum depending on the illumination, improving optical multiplexing potential.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
S. Spaziani, G. Quero, S. Manago, G. Zito, D. Terracciano, P. E. Macchia, F. Galeotti, M. Pisco, A. C. De Luca, A. Cusano
Summary: We developed an immunoassay platform for the detection of human Thyroglobulin (Tg) in thyroid cancer patients with lymph node metastases. The platform utilizes a self-assembled surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and functionalized gold nanoparticles to enhance molecular specificity and signal amplification. The platform has a low detection limit of 7 pg/mL and has been successfully applied to washout fluids from fine needle aspiration biopsies in cancer patients, demonstrating its high specificity in complex biological matrices.
BIOSENSORS & BIOELECTRONICS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Concetta Esposito, Mohammed Janneh, Sara Spaziani, Vincenzo Calcagno, Mario Luca Bernardi, Martina Iammarino, Chiara Verdone, Maria Tagliamonte, Luigi Buonaguro, Marco Pisco, Lerina Aversano, Andrea Cusano
Summary: In this study, we investigated the possibility of using Raman spectroscopy assisted by artificial intelligence methods to identify and distinguish liver cancer cells from non-tumor cells. By analyzing the morphological and spectral data of liver cell samples and utilizing machine learning approaches, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of artificial intelligence-assisted Raman spectroscopy in tumor cell classification and prediction, achieving nearly 90% accuracy.