- The device must be safe to use and should not present hazards to any part of the body
- The device must be compatible with the detector and AuNR-loaded paper substrates provided by the client
- The device should have a signal to noise ratio of at least 500:1
- The wavelength and intensity of the excitation source, which control the location and magnitude of Raman peaks, should be kept constant. Maximum tolerance should be 15 nm and 0.5 mW, respectively
- The device must be easily moved by one adult: its size less than 50 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm and its weight less than 5 kg
- The power supply should last at least 4 hours where AC power is not available
- The device must be resistant to water, caustic liquids, acids, and have low reactivity with common analytes. The casing should withstand impact and protect the internal components from fracturing and misaligning. The geometry of the casing should be designed to minimize stress concentrations
- The device should function properly within the range of 0° to 45°C
- The device should be priced competitively to existing SERS analyzers. Similar commercially-available products cost between $10,000 to $60,000. As suggested by our client, this device should cost under $5,000
- The device must be quick to use. The time from loading the sample to obtaining the spectrum should be less than 2 minutes per trial