Multifunctional Compact Hybrid Au Nanoshells: A New Generation of Nanoplasmonic Probes for Biosensing, Imaging, and Controlled Release

Gold nanoshells (AuNSs) with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peaks in the near-infrared (NIR) region possess unique optical properties particularly that soft tissues are "transparent" at these wavelengths making them of great interest in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Since 1998 when Halas and co-workers invented the first generation of AuNS, with a silica core and Au shell, researchers have studied and designed AuNSs for theranostic-individualized, combination diagnosis and therapy nanomedicine. As demand has increased for more powerful and practical theranostic applications, so has demand for the next generation of AuNSs-compact yet complex multifunctional AuNSs with finely integrated plasmonic and nonplasmonic inorganic components