Utrecht researchers have developed a new type of sensor, about 500 times smaller than the width of a human hair, with an unprecedented ability to detect extremely small amounts of molecules. These sensors can be used to detect and identify trace amounts of substances such as chemical pollutants or molecules important in medicine. The sensors make use of Raman scattering, a phenomenon that gives such unique signals for different molecules that it is often referred to as ‘molecular fingerprinting’. In their publication in Advanced Functional Materials, the researchers present the preparation and use of these tiny sensors. Read more here.
