Fabricating Nanogaps between Nanoelectrodes using Dielectrophoresis Technique for Molecular Fluorescence Enhancement

Here we demonstrate the fabrication of nanometer-sized gaps by assembling single coreshell nanoparticles between metallic nanoelectrodes. Protein coated SiO₂@Au coreshell nanoparticles are synthesized and positioned between uorescent molecules-covered electrodes in a controllable way using dielectrophoretic trapping, forming nanogaps sandwiched between nanoparticle and nanoelectrodes. Preliminary photoluminescence measurements show that enhanced molecular uorescence could be detected from the uorescent molecules inside the nanogaps. These results pave the way for realizing electrically driven molecular uorescence based on nanogap electrodes.