| abstract |
Composite organic-inorganic nanoclusters (COINs) are provided that produce surface-enhanced Raman signals (SERS) when excited by a laser. The nanoclusters include metal particles and a Raman-active organic compound. The metal required for achieving a suitable SERS signal is inherent in the nanocluster and a wide variety of Raman-active organic compounds and combinations thereof can be incorporated into the nanocluster. In addition, polymeric microspheres containing the nanoclusters and methods of making them are also provided. The nanoclusters and microspheres can be used, for example, in assays for multiplex detection of biological molecules. |