SERS-Active Nanoparticle Aggregate Technology for Tags and Seals

Year
2010
Author(s)
L. Brown - Los Alamos National Laboratory
George J. Havrilla - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Stephen K. Doorn - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Velma M. Montoya - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
In this paper, we describe our efforts to create a modern tagging and sealing technology for international safeguards applications. Our passive tagging methods are based on SANAs (SERS- Active Nanoparticle Aggregates; SERS: Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering). These SANAs offer robust spectral barcoding capability in an inexpensive tag / seal, with the possibility of rapid in-field verification that requires no human input. At INMM 2009,1 we introduced SANAs, and showed approaches to integrating our technology with tags under development at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). Here, we will focus on recent LANL development work, as well as adding additional dimensionality to the barcoding technique.