Reconfigurable surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy device and method therefor

1. A surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) device, comprising:

a first non-electrically conductive substrate;

at least a first electrode disposed directly on the first non-electrically conductive substrate;

at least a second electrode disposed on a second non-electrically conductive substrate, and the first and second non-electrically conductive substrates are arranged face-to-face, the second electrode being movable relative to the first electrode, wherein a 3-D electrode configuration is provided and a detection site is formed along edges and/or between opposing edges of the first and second electrodes; and

a nanoparticle structure comprising a plurality of metallic nanoparticles disposed in the detection site along edges and/or between opposing edges of the first and second electrodes in the absence of an analyte;

wherein the nanoparticle structure comprises at least one of a branched, clustered, aggregated, fractal, and dendritic structure.

2. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise a metal selected from silver, gold, copper, and platinum, or a combination of two or more thereof.

3. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle structure is directed by an electric field between the at least two electrodes.

4. The SERS device of claim 3 , wherein the electric field comprises an AC electric field, a DC electric field, an AC electric field with a DC component, and an electrostatic field.

5. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle structure is a dendritic structure.

6. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein a surface modification of the nanoparticles includes graphene or a derivative thereof.

7. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle structure concentrates an analyte at the detection site.

8. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle structure is removably assembled in the detection site, wherein the device is reusable.

9. A method of preparing a SERS device, comprising:

providing a first non-electrically conductive substrate having at least a first electrode disposed directly on the first non-electrically conductive substrate;

providing at least a second electrode disposed on a second non-electrically conductive substrate, and the first and second non-electrically conductive substrates are arranged face-to-face, the second electrode being movable relative to the first electrode, wherein a 3-D electrode configuration is provided and a detection site is formed along edges and/or between opposing edges of the first and second electrodes; and

disposing a plurality of metallic nanoparticles on the detection site under a condition that induces, directs, or influences assembly of the metallic nanoparticles into a nanoparticle structure in the detection site along edges and/or between opposing edges of the first and second electrodes in the absence of an analyte;

wherein the nanoparticle structure comprises at least one of a branched, clustered, aggregated, fractal, and dendritic structure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise at least one metal selected from silver, gold, copper, platinum, and a combination of two or more thereof.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the condition that induces, directs, or influences assembly of the metallic nanoparticles into a nanoparticle structure comprises an electric field.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising an AC electric field, a DC electric field, an AC electric field with a DC component, or an electrostatic field.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the nanoparticle structure is a dendritic structure.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a surface modification of the nanoparticles includes graphene or a derivative thereof.

15. The method of claim 9 , comprising removably assembling the nanoparticle structure in the detection site.

16. A method of analyzing a sample using SERS, comprising:

applying the sample to the detection site of the SERS device of claim 1 ; and

using SERS to probe the sample at one or more locations in the detection site.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein an electric field is present during application of the sample.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein an analyte in the sample is concentrated at the detection site.

19. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on a structure;

wherein the first non-electrically conductive substrate and the structure are in a 3-D arrangement;

wherein a 3-D electrode configuration is provided.

20. The SERS device of claim 19 , wherein the second electrode is movable relative to the first electrode.

21. The SERS device of claim 19 , wherein the second electrode comprises a probe.

22. The SERS device of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on the first non-electrically conductive substrate;

wherein a 2-D electrode configuration is provided.

23. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on a structure;

wherein the first non-electrically conductive substrate and the structure are in a 3-D arrangement;

wherein a 3-D electrode configuration is provided.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the second electrode comprises a probe.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on a second non-electrically conductive substrate, and the first and second non-electrically conductive substrates are arranged face-to-face;

wherein a 3-D electrode configuration is provided.

26. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second electrode is disposed on the first non-electrically conductive substrate;

wherein a 2-D electrode configuration is provided.