Practical substrate and apparatus for static and continuous monitoring by surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy

Claim 2

A substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, comprising: (a) a flexible support, said support having at least one SERS-active surface; (b) a coating on said surface comprised of microbodies, said coating being immediately adjacent to said surface; and (c) a metallized outer layer.

Claim 3

A substrate according to claim 1, said substrate being the product of a process comprising the steps of (a) coating said surface of said substrate with an aqueous suspension of said microbodies; then (b) drying said surface; and thereafter (c) depositing a metallic layer onto said surface coated with said microbodies.

Claim 4

A substrate according to claim 2, further comprising after step (a) the step of spinning said substrate to effect a substantially even distribution of said microbodies across said surface.

Claim 5

A substrate according to claim 2, wherein step (c) comprises thermally evaporating a metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, copper, tungsten and platinum under vacuum onto said microbodies.

Claim 6

A substrate according to claim 4, wherein said metal is silver.

Claim 7

A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a cellulosic material.

Claim 8

A substrate according to claim 6, wherein said cellulosic material is filter paper.

Claim 9

A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises at least one optical fiber.

Claim 10

A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said microbodies comprise at least one material from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyltoluene and polybutadiene.

Claim 11

A substrate according to claim 9, wherein said microbodies comprise polystyrene latex microspheres.

Claim 12

A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said microbodies comprise at least one material from the group consisting of platinum and zirconium phosphate.

Claim 13

A substrate according to claim 1, wherein said microbodies range in size from about 0.038 and 0.497 microns.

Claim 14

Spectroscopy apparatus comprising (a) a laser excitation source; (b) a substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, said substrate comprising (i) a flexible support having at least one SERS-active surface, (ii) a coating on said surface comprised of microbodies, said coating being immediately adjacent to said surface, and (iii) a metallized outer layer; (c) means for exposing a predetermined portion of said SERS-active surface to said source; (d) means for positioning said portion of said SERS-active surface in a predetermined relation to said source; (e) spectrometric means for detecting a surface Raman signal from said portion of said SERS-active surface.

Claim 15

Spectroscopy apparatus comprising (a) a laser excitation source; (b) a substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, said substrate comprising (i) a flexible support having at least one SERS-active surface, (ii) a coating on said surface comprised of microbodies, said coating being immediately adjacent to said surface, and (iii) a metallized outer layer; (c) means for exposing a predetermined portion of said SERS-active surface to said source; (d) means for positioning said portion of said SERS-active surface in a predetermined relation to said source; (e) spectrometric means for detecting a surface Raman signal from said portion of said SERS-active surface.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for delivering a test sample to said portion of said SERS-active surface.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said substrate comprises a tape, and said means (d) comprises means for advancing said tape through said apparatus.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said means for advancing said tape comprises a stepping motor-driven roller for drawing said tape through said apparatus, said roller being in pressurized contact with a spring-loaded idler.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said means for delivering comprises a conduit for delivering a gaseous test sample to said portion of said SERS-active surface.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein means for delivering comprises means for pipetting a predetermined volume of a liquid test sample onto said portion of said SERS-active surface.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means for drying said portion of said SERS-active surface after said volume of a liquid sample has been pipetted onto said portion.