Addressing the pressing need for rapid and sensitive infectious disease diagnostics, we introduce DIgitAl plasMONic nanobubble Detection (DIAMOND), an innovative strategy harnessing plasmonic nanobubbles generated through laser-induced nanoparticles. Using gold nanoparticles in an optofluidic system, DIAMOND enables compartment-free digital counting and homogeneous immunoassays, demonstrating respiratory syncytial virus detection at single RNA copy per microliter. This breakthrough technology offers single-nanoparticle detection, direct virus sensing at room temperature, and simplified liquid handling, establishing itself as a versatile platform for expedited and highly sensitive diagnostics, with the added benefit of achieving detection within just 10 minutes. Concurrently, our research advances plasmonic nanobubble generation by anchoring sub-10 nm AuNPs onto thiol-rich Qβ virus-like particles, significantly enhancing photocavitation and reducing laser fluency. In a significant step forward, we are expanding the horizons of DIAMOND, now enabling single protein detection at attomolar concentrations, representing a remarkable advancement in our capabilities.
|