Dielectrophoresis-Enhanced Plasmonic Sensing with Gold Nanohole Arrays

We experimentally demonstrate dielectrophoretic concentration of biological analytes on the surface of a gold nanohole array, which concurrently acts as a nanoplasmonic sensor and gradient force generator. The combination of nanohole-enhanced dielectrophoresis, electroosmosis, and extraordinary optical transmission through the periodic gold nanohole array enables real-time label-free detection of analyte molecules in a 5 μL droplet using concentrations as low as 1 pM within a few minutes, which is more than 1000 times faster than purely diffusion-based binding. The nanohole-based optofluidic platform demonstrated here is straightforward to construct, applicable to both charged and neutral molecules, and performs a novel function that cannot be accomplished using conventional surface plasmon resonance sensors.