Developing new nano-structures for SERS and its applications in small molecule binding in proteins and plasmonic enhancement in solar cell efficiency

Abstract

The field of molecular spectroscopy has developed very rapidly in the last century. This has led to better understanding of molecular structure and studying interactions at molecular levels. All this has been possible due to advancements in various fields of optical instrumentation, nanoscience and biotechnology. As a result, molecular spectroscopy has become one of the widely researched areas with a huge range of applications from physical, chemical, biological sciences to astronomy. The blue color of the sky is due to light scattered by macroparticles in the atmosphere consisting of dust, water droplets or ice crystals. James Clark Maxwell, a brilliant Scottish scientist of the middle 19th century, showed, by constructing an oscillating electrical circuit, that electromagnetic waves could move through space. Light eventually was proved to be electromagnetic.