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Small molecules self-organized in an orderly manner to enhance Raman signals

We have discovered an effect, termed stacking-induced intermolecular charge transfer-enhanced Raman scattering (SICTERS), that enhances the Raman signal intensities of small molecules by relying on their self-stacking rather than external substrates. This effect enables the design of substrate-free small-molecule probes for high-resolution, non-invasive transdermal Raman imaging of lymphatic drainage and microvessels.

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Fig. 1: SICTERS for live imaging of vasculature with high-resolution.

References

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This is a summary of: Gao, S. et al. Self-stacked small molecules for ultrasensitive, substrate-free Raman imaging in vivo. Nat. Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-024-02342-9 (2024).

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Small molecules self-organized in an orderly manner to enhance Raman signals. Nat Biotechnol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-024-02350-9

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