A new technology now makes it possible to print plasmonic structures tiny light amplifiers that help detect even the smallest traces of substances during Raman spectroscopy. 

 

 

A new technology now makes it possible to print plasmonic structures—tiny light amplifiers that help detect even the smallest traces of substances during Raman spectroscopy. This breakthrough is a major step forward for fields like forensic science, art restoration, archaeology, and many other research areas.

 

Raman spectroscopy works by identifying materials through their interaction with light. These new printed plasmonic structures boost the signal, making it easier to detect substances that would otherwise go unnoticed.

 

“As researchers, we’re essentially creating a signal amplifier,” explained Vladislav Borisov from the MIPT Functional Materials Testing Centre. “Without it, tiny amounts of a substance stay invisible—but with our printed structures, we can see them clearly.”

 

The same printer can also produce microelectronic boards with circuit lines as thin as a human hair. In addition, it can apply quantum dots to photodetectors, greatly improving their sensitivity.

 

This innovation has no current equivalent and could transform scientific analysis and electronics production.