Magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles for biomolecular detection

Abstract

Detecting biomarkers from complex sample solutions is the key objective of molec-ular diagnostics. Being able to do so in a simple approach that does not require laborious sample preparation, sophisticated equipment and trained staff is vital for point-of-care applications. This thesis introduces a nanoparticle-based biosensor that represents a label-free homogeneous bioassay suitable for in-vitro biomolecular diagnostics. The underlying detection principle is based on the optical observation of the rotational dynamics of multicomponent nanoparticles utilizing magnetic and plasmonic properties. Optical anisotropic and monodisperse magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles were fabricated using physical fabrication methods.