<p>Whispering-gallery-mode microlasers have emerged as powerful tools for label-free biosensing, yet their sensitivity has been limited to detecting nanoparticles larger than 10 nm. Here we demonstrate a plasmon-enhanced whispering-gallery-mode microlaser capable of detecting single atomic ions in solution, achieving unprecedented sensitivity. By integrating gold nanorods onto ytterbium-doped silica microspheres, we reduce the effective mode volume by approximately 1,000-fold and enhance the local electromagnetic field, amplifying the signal-to-noise ratio. The self-heterodyne detection of beatnote frequency shifts between split lasing modes enables the real-time monitoring of transient and permanent interactions of zinc (Zn<sup>2+</sup>) and cadmium (Cd<sup>2+</sup>) ions with nanorod sensing sites. We report peak sensitivities with beatnote shifts of 3.7 fm for Zn<sup>2+</sup> and 7.2 fm for Cd<sup>2+</sup>, showcasing the potential of plasmon-enhanced whispering-gallery-mode microlasers for single-molecule and atomic-scale sensing applications, including in vivo probing.</p>

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Single-atomic-ion detection with plasmon-enhanced whispering-gallery-mode microlasers

  • Samir Vartabi Kashanian,
  • Frank Vollmer

摘要

Whispering-gallery-mode microlasers have emerged as powerful tools for label-free biosensing, yet their sensitivity has been limited to detecting nanoparticles larger than 10 nm. Here we demonstrate a plasmon-enhanced whispering-gallery-mode microlaser capable of detecting single atomic ions in solution, achieving unprecedented sensitivity. By integrating gold nanorods onto ytterbium-doped silica microspheres, we reduce the effective mode volume by approximately 1,000-fold and enhance the local electromagnetic field, amplifying the signal-to-noise ratio. The self-heterodyne detection of beatnote frequency shifts between split lasing modes enables the real-time monitoring of transient and permanent interactions of zinc (Zn2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) ions with nanorod sensing sites. We report peak sensitivities with beatnote shifts of 3.7 fm for Zn2+ and 7.2 fm for Cd2+, showcasing the potential of plasmon-enhanced whispering-gallery-mode microlasers for single-molecule and atomic-scale sensing applications, including in vivo probing.