US Patent 7355704 - SERS using nanoparticles in ultrathin polymer layer

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/US7355704.html

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is a technique using laser reflection from rough metal surfaces to detect and analyze individual molecules. Metallic nanoparticles are often used to achieve the rough surface and this patent from Solaris Nanosciences teaches the inclusion of an ultrathin (0.5 nm - 10 nm) polymer layer surrounding the nanoparticles to further improve the SERS effect. Claim 1 reads:

1. A film for surface enhanced Raman scattering comprising: A polymeric layer; and A metallic nanoparticle having a cross-section and being embedded in the polymeric layer, wherein the polymeric layer has a thickness less than a largest straight line through the cross-section of said metallic nanoparticle.