Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (bio)sensors and other bioanalytical technologies

Advances in the plasmon-enhanced fluorescence method and its implementations in optical sensors, biosensors, and other types of bioanalytical technologies are discussed in this paper. In particular, the focus is given to the results that have been achieved over the last ten years concerning the design and preparation of metallic nanostructures tailored for the amplification of weak fluorescence signals and their utilization in the field of ultrasensitive detection and identification of chemical and biological species. Applications and performance characteristics of plasmon-enhanced fluorescence in the areas of analysis of biomarkers for disease diagnostics, cell imaging, environmental monitoring of harmful compounds, and single molecule analysis are critically reviewed.