Dynamic plasmonic tweezers enabled single-particle-film-system gap-mode Surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Based on numerical simulation and experiment, we demonstrate a dynamic single-particle-film Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) system enabled by manipulation of a single gold nanoparticle by plasmonic nano-tweezers (PNT). A corresponding dynamic plasmonic gap-mode is induced by the hybridization of the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on the film and the localized surface plasmon of the particle. This gap-mode produces an additional enhancement of ∼104 compared to the bare SPPs without the particle, reaching a final SERS enhancement factor of ∼109. Enabled by nano-manipulation with PNT, this dynamic single-particle-film-system provides a promising route to controllable SERS detection in aqueous environments.