The study, that describes the invention of a new device for single molecule detection, was published on the same journal issue in a paper entitled "Breaking the diffusion limit with super-hydrophobic delivery of molecules to plasmonic nanofocusing SERS structures".

The cover shows a representation of a water droplet containing molecules at ultralow concentrations on a nanostructured superhydrophobic surface. A significant image, since the new sensor deploys the "lotus effect" reproduced by the nanostructured surface to detect and analyze about ten molecules within a volume of one thousandth of cubic centimeter.

The device description was also positively commented in the "news&views" section of the journal: "This new concept is sure to promote the development of nanosensors with exceptional sensitivity".

You may read the entire article here.

You can find a further description of the study here.