Investigating Sensor Properties of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles Produced By Pulsed Laser Deposition

Plasmonic gold nanoparticles exhibit exceptional optical properties, particularly Lo-calised Surface Plasmon Resonance, which makes them ideal candidates for sensor applications. These nanoparticles are highly sensitive to changes in their surrounding environment, allowing for precise detection of molecular interactions and environ-mental shifts. In this study, we investigate the sensor properties of gold nanoparticles produced via Pulsed Laser Deposition, a clean and versatile method that allows for precise control over particle size, morphology, and distribution without the need for chemical reagents. Pulsed Laser Deposition process was optimized by adjusting laser fluence, pulse duration, and deposition time to produce gold nanoparticles with tuna-ble plasmonic properties. The structural and optical characteristics of gold nanoparti-cles were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy, confirming that the size and morphology of the particles were controllable through the deposition parameters. The sensor performance of gold nanoparticles was evalu-ated through localised surface plasmon resonance measurements, which demonstrated their sensitivity to small changes in the refractive index of the surrounding medium. Specifically, the shift in localised surface plasmon resonance peak was measured up-on exposure to different analytes, including protein A where a wavelength shift of 50 nm measured, indicating the high sensitivity of these nanoparticles for biosensing ap-plications. The results suggest that Pulsed Laser Deposition-produced gold nanoparti-cles possess promising sensor properties for real-time detection and environmental monitoring, offering an efficient and reproducible platform for a wide range of sens-ing applications.