Using surface enhanced Raman scattering to study vibrations of adsorbates on thin metallic overlayers on silver

We have studied the surface enhanced Raman scattering from molecules adsorbed on thin gold overlayers on silver island films. The Raman scattering of gold cyanide species adsorbed on gold overlayers decreases in intensity with gold overlayer thickness between 0.5 – 10 Å . This intensity decrease is consistent with a simple model which takes into account the damping of the electromagnetic resonances of the silver islands by the absorbing gold overlayer. Implications of these findings for the enhancement of Raman scattering from adsorbates on other metals deposited as overlayers on silver will be discussed.     

Effect of extended surface plasmons on surface enhanced Raman scattering

Surface enhanced Raman scattering of pyridine adsorbed to weakly roughened silver films is studied using a well-characterized extended surface plasmon excitation. We show that the additional increase in the Raman signal associated with the extended surface plasmon is fully accounted for by the enhancement in the average macroscopic field.     

Multiscale electromagnetic SERS enhancement on self‐assembled micropatterned gold nanoparticle films

In this work, we demonstrate a cascaded, multiplicative electromagnetic enhancement effect in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on periodically micropatterned films made of colloidal gold nanoparticles, prepared by a self‐assembly approach, without implying lithography procedures. The multiplicative enhancement effect is obtained by combining surface plasmon near‐field enhancement due to nanoscale features with far‐field photonic coupling by periodic microscale features. The effect is observed for both internal Raman reporters (molecules attached to the Au colloids before their assembly) and external Raman probes (molecules adsorbed on the samples after film assembly). The ability of the patterned films for far‐field light coupling is supported by reflectivity spectra, which present minima/maxima in the visible spectral range. Finite‐difference time‐domain computer simulations of the electric field distribution also support this interpretation. The fabricated dual‐scale SERS substrates exhibit a good spot‐to‐spot reproducibility and time stability, as proved by the SERS response over a time scale longer than 1 month. The experimental demonstration of this cascaded electromagnetic enhancement effect contributes to a better understanding of SERS and can affect future design of SERS substrates. Moreover, such dual‐scale colloidal films prepared by convective self‐assembly can be of general interest for the broader field of nanoparticle‐based devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering of 4‐mercaptopyridine on sub‐monolayers of α‐Fe2O3 nanocrystals (sphere,spindle, cube)

We report surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra from 4‐mercaptopyridine (4‐Mpy) adsorbed on sub‐monolayers of α‐Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals (sphere, spindle, cube). The maximum enhancement factor has been estimated to be about 10⁴ compared to that of 4‐Mpy in solution. A possible mechanism has been proposed that the charge transfer between the α‐Fe₂O₃ nanocrystals and the 4‐Mpy molecules is most likely responsible for the observed enhancement of Raman intensity of adsorbed 4‐Mpy molecules as surface plasmon resonances have not occurred. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhancement of Secondary Radiation of Chromophores Adsorbed on the Rough Surface of Thin Silver Films under Conditions of Resonance Excitation

The spectra of giant Raman scattering of light and surfaceenhanced fluorescence of certain chromophores absorbing light in the visible spectrum region are investigated. The factors that have an effect on the enhancement of secondary radiation of chromophores adsorbed on the surface of rough silver films under conditions of resonance excitation are determined. The spectra of mirror reflection of light by the substrates used are considered. The coefficients of diffuse and mirror reflection, absorption, and transmission of light by thin silver films at wavelengths of 488 and 633 nm are determined. The scheme of an experimental system for observation of the spectra of giant Raman scattering and surfaceenhanced fluorescence on the source side of a transparent substrate is proposed. Conclusions on the predominant contribution of the resonance excitation of surface plasmons to the enhancement of the signal of the giant Raman scattering and surfaceenhanced fluorescence of molecules adsorbed on the rough metal surface are drawn.     

基于气相沉积等离激元纳米粒子/三维石墨烯-镍泡沫复合结构的高灵敏度表面增强拉曼检测

本文提出一种基于气相沉积银纳米粒子和三维石墨烯-镍泡沫的复合等离激元结构.该结构是利用气相纳米团簇束流技术将高密度的银纳米粒子直接沉积于三维石墨烯-镍泡沫的表面制备而成.与传统银纳米结构相比,复合三维等离激元纳米结构具有"热点"数量多,局域场更强的特点,可作为基于表面增强拉曼技术的高灵敏度化学传感器.拉曼测试实验结果表明,该三维纳米结构在表面增强拉曼检测中可获得灵敏度高,重复性好的探针拉曼信号.通过进一步的理论模拟,发现该三维等离激元结构中增强的拉曼信号主要归因于纳米粒子与纳米粒子之间以及纳米粒子与石墨烯-镍泡沫衬底之间的多重近场耦合效应.     

2-噻吩甲酸在Fe3O4@Ag基底上的吸附及表面增强拉曼光谱

采用共沉淀法合成Fe₃O₄纳米颗粒,再以柠檬酸三钠还原AgNO₃获得了具有SERS活性的Fe₃O₄@Ag磁性纳米复合材料。基于密度泛函理论(DFT)的量子化学计算方法和表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)技术,从理论计算和实验测定表征探讨了2-噻吩甲酸(2-TCA)在Fe₃O₄@Ag表面的吸附行为和增强效应。结果表明:理论计算得到的拉曼光谱与实际测得的常规拉曼光谱基本一致,而在DFT理论计算中所键连的Ag原子数越多,与实测值就越接近。溶液的浓度和pH对拉曼增强效果有很大的影响,当溶液的pH=3且浓度为1×10^-4 mol·L^-1时有最大拉曼增强效应。峰强随2-TCA浓度的增加呈现先增大后减小的趋势,浓度过大会导致大量2-TCA分子吸附聚集在Ag表面形成局部"拥堵",阻碍了激发光尤其是光谱信号的散射通过,从而减弱了拉曼增强效应。pH的变化使溶液中2-TCA分子形态发生改变,结构形态不同,其在Ag表面的吸附方式也不同。中性C₄H₃SCOOH分子以环上S:形式垂直吸附键合在Ag表面,形成S—Ag配位键而产生SERS光谱。-1价C₄H₃SCOO^-离子以S—Ag配位和O—Ag共价"双键合"侧卧方式共同吸附在Ag表面而产生SERS光谱。在Ag表面,以单独S—Ag配位键吸附或键合的能力比S—Ag配位和O—Ag共价共同吸附方式要弱,但其产生的SERS信号更强,故2-TCA中性分子比2-TCA^-离子更有利于SERS的产生。随着pH值的增加,溶液中的2-TCA由中性分子逐渐转化为-1价的C₄H₃SCOO^-离子,因而在pH>3以后,拉曼增强效应逐步减弱。     

聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯间隔的金纳米立方体与金膜复合结构的表面增强拉曼散射研究

金属纳米颗粒与金属薄膜的复合结构由于其局域表面等离子体和传播表面等离子体间的强共振耦合作用,可作为表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底,显著增强吸附分子的拉曼信号.本文提出了一种聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)间隔的90 nm金纳米立方体与50 nm金膜复合结构的SERS基底,通过有限元方法数值模拟,得到PMMA的最优化厚度为15 nm.实验制备了PMMA间隔层厚度为14 nm的复合结构,利用罗丹明6G (R6G)为拉曼探针分子, 633 nm的氦氖激光器作为激发光源,研究了复合结构和单一金纳米立方体的SERS效应,发现复合结构可以使探针分子产生比单一结构更强的拉曼信号.在此基础上,研究了不同浓度金纳米立方体水溶液条件下复合结构中R6G的拉曼光谱.结果表明,当金纳米立方体水溶液浓度为5.625μg/mL的条件下复合结构中R6G的拉曼信号最强,且可测量R6G的最低浓度达10~(–11) mol/L.     

Effect of surface morphology on surface‐enhanced Raman scattering of 4‐aminobenzenethiol adsorbed on gold substrates

The substrate‐dependent surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of 4‐aminobenzenethiol (4‐ABT) adsorbed on Au surfaces has been investigated. 4‐ABT is one of the very unique adsorbate molecules whose SERS spectral patterns are known to be noticeably dependent on the relative contribution of chemical enhancement mechanism vs electromagnetic enhancement mechanism. The SERS spectral patterns of 4‐ABT adsorbed on gold substrates with various surface morphology have thus been analyzed in terms of the symmetry types of the vibrational modes. Almost invisibly weak b₂ type vibrational bands were observed in the SERS spectra of the 4‐ABT adsorbed on Au colloidal sol nanoparticles or commercially available Au micro‐powders because of the weak contribution of the chemical enhancement. However, greatly enhanced b₂ vibrational bands were observed in the spectra of the 4‐ABT molecules adsorbed on the synthesized Au(Zn) sponge or the electrochemically roughened Au(ORC) foil caused by the strong contribution of the chemical enhancement mechanism. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

表面增强喇曼散射(SERS)光谱中影响增强效应因素的实验研究(Ⅲ)

本文研究了苯甲酸水溶液的pH值,电极外加电位对银电极表面吸附苯甲酸SERS光谱表面增强效应的影响。实验结果表明,苯甲酸以—COO~-根负离子吸附于银电极表面。通过改变溶液的pH值,使苯甲酸吸附于粗糙银电极表面,溶液pH值影响电极表面吸附苯甲酸的面密度,电极外加电位影响—COO~-根离子与银电极间的电荷迁移,电极外加电位也影响苯甲酸在粗糙银电极表面的吸附。     

Polymer optical fiber SERS sensor with gold nanorods

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor is developed by etching polymer optical fiber and coating with gold nanorods. The SERS sensing experiments are demonstrated with the analyte molecules of rhodamine 6G (R6G) at 514.5 nm laser excitation. The results show that a strong fiber Raman background scattering overwhelm the R6G molecule Raman signal in common optrod configuration, but a distinct R6G SERS spectrum with 9 order magnitude enhancement can be observed while directly focusing light on the probe. Further modeling indicates the enhancement is attributed to both nanorods local field and their coupling.     

Raman spectra of tetrapyrrole photosensitizer chlorin <Emphasis Type="Italic">e</Emphasis><Subscript>6</Subscript> and their interpretation

The resonance and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of chlorin e 6 trisodium salt in aqueous solutions, solid films, and adsorbed on the silver-coated surface of porous silicon are presented. Using the quantum-mechanical density functional method, the geometric structure and vibrational frequencies of the chlorin e ₆ molecule are calculated and the Raman spectrum of this molecule is interpreted for the first time. The geometry of sorption of chlorin e ₆ on the surface of a nanostructured silver film is considered based on a comparative analysis of the resonance Raman and SERS Raman spectra in the approximation of a short-range mechanism of Raman scattering enhancement.     

Effect of adsorbed oxygen on the properties of ytterbium nanofilms

The effect of O₂ molecules adsorbed on the surface of ytterbium nanofilms on the properties of the volume and surface of these films has been studied. It has been shown that the dependence of the work function of the films on the concentration of O₂ adsorbed molecules exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior: originally, the work function decreases, to start increasing again on passing through a minimum. At high oxygen doses, this increase stops. Adsorption of oxygen brings about a fundamental rearrangement of the Auger spectra of ytterbium; indeed, the Auger peaks observed before oxygen adsorption disappear completely after its deposition on the surface, to become replaced by other ones. The results obtained qualitatively agree with similar observations amassed by the present authors in studies of adsorption of CO molecules on the surface of ytterbium films. These results should be ascribed to a manifestation of complex processes of electron exchange between these films and adsorbed O₂ molecules. These processes end up in a qualitative rearrangement of the electronic structure of the part of film volume that borders the surface, where ytterbium transforms into the d metal.     

基于介孔TiO_2薄膜等离子体波导的拉曼光谱技术研究

利用溶胶-凝胶分子模板法在表面覆金的玻璃基底上制备275 nm厚的介孔二氧化钛(TiO_2)薄膜,形成等离子体波导(PW)传感芯片.利用菲涅耳公式拟合实验测得的导模共振波长,得出TiO_2薄膜的多孔度约为0.589.基于光学互易定理仿真分析了置于介孔导波层中的电偶极子的拉曼辐射角分布,结果表明:辐射到衬底中的拉曼光包含沿导模共振角辐射的定向信号和辐射角小于全反射角的非定向信号;前者需借助棱镜耦合器才能被探测到,后者可从芯片背面直接被探测到;从导波层直接辐射到空气中的拉曼光称为背向信号,它的角分布呈发散式,几乎不受棱镜耦合器影响;定向信号的最大功率值远大于非定向信号和背向信号的相应值.实验研究了吸附于介孔导波层中的结晶紫分子的拉曼光谱,采用体光束激发方式探测到了定向、非定向和背向拉曼信号,定向信号强度的最大值是非定向信号的2倍多,在使用棱镜耦合器前后测得的背向信号强度几乎不变.     

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of palladium

Large enhancements in the Raman scattering signals have been observed from molecules and ions adsorbed on a palladium surface. The largest enhancement factor is in the order of 10⁵. Results will be discussed in terms of theoretical models on the surface enhanced Raman scattering process.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman microscopy of hemispherical shells stripped from templates of anodized aluminum

We report on the optical characterization of plasmonic metal nanostructures representing highly ordered interconnected hemispherical gold and silver shells that can be iteratively stripped from the same embossed templates (without template degradation) made from selectively etched anodized aluminum. By performing scanning high‐resolution confocal Raman microscopy of p‐aminothiophenol and Rhodamine 6G molecules homogeneously adsorbed to samples with different radii of shell curvature, we systematically investigate the applicability of the fabricated structures for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and correlate the results with linear reflection spectroscopy. We trace the origin of strong Raman signal enhancements (average relative enhancement of up to ~120) to electromagnetic hot‐spots located in sharp grooves and crevices at hemisphere shell junctions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SURFACE CAPPING OF TiO2 COLLOIDAL NANOPARTICLES STUDIED BY FOURIER TRANSFORM RAMAN SPECTRA

Surface capping of TiO₂ colloid nanoparticles with tetrasulfonated gallium phthalocyanine chloride (GaTsPc) was studied by Fourier Transform (FT) Raman spectra. A striking FT-Raman signal enhancement of GaTsPc is observed, indicating that a surface complex is formed during surface capping of GaTsPc dye molecules on TiO₂ colloid via sulfonate groups. This effect is attributed to a strong Raman resonance with the charge transfer transition in the surface complex. Surface complexation also have considerable influences on the FT-Raman signals for TiO₂ nanoparticles.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman evidence for Rhodamine 6 G and its derivative with different adsorption geometry to colloidal silver nanoparticle

Some high‐affinity functional groups or resonant molecules were often used as probe molecules adsorbed on silver nanoparticles for Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). However, it is still unclear how the attached molecules interact with the silver nanoparticles' surface, and how the anchoring groups affect the optical and electronic properties of molecules. Here, we report that surface‐enhanced Raman studies of two organic compounds; rhodamine 6G (R6G) and its aminated derivative (R‐NH₂) have very different functional groups for surface binding but nearly identical SERS spectroscopic properties at pH = 7 and UV–vis at pH = 3, respectively. A surprise was found that under the same experimental conditions, the SERS signal intensity for R6G is nearly 50‐fold higher than that of R‐NH₂. Furthermore, the pH‐dependent study reveals that the structure of R6G is irreversibly stabilized or ‘locked’ in its form and no longer responsive to pH changes. In contrast, R‐NH₂ is still sensitive to pH, and can be switched between its open‐ring and closed‐ring structures. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SERS-active substrates based on n-type porous silicon

Porous silicon (PS) prepared from n-type Si crystal is proposed as a new material for the fabrication of sensitive substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The formation procedure for nanostructured silver films on the surface of PS was optimized. Maximum of SERS enhancement for rhodamine 6G probing molecule is observed for samples obtained by the immersion plating from the water solution of AgNO₃ with the 10 mM concentration during 5 min. The dependence of morphological parameters of PS and corresponding silvered surfaces on the anodization current density has been studied. It is shown that the most SERS activities possess substrates produced from PS with lower porosity. The optimum of the PS layer thickness for high Raman signal is about 5 μm. The detection limit for rhodamine 6G adsorbed on Ag-coated PS from the 100 pM solution is established to be comparable with that for p-type PS-based substrates. Thus, the n-type porous silicon is suitable material for the preparation of sensitive SERS-active substrates.     

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy of single R6G molecules

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) adsorbed on colloidal silver clusters has been studied. Based on the great enhancement of the Raman signal and the quench of the fluorescence, the SERRS spectra of R6G were recorded for the samples of dye colloidal solution with different concentrations. Spectral inhomogeneity behaviours from single molecules in the dried sample films were observed with complementary evidences, such as spectral polarization, spectral diffusion, intensity fluctuation of vibrational lines and even ``breathing' of the molecules. Sequential spectra observed from a liquid sample with an average of 0.3 dye molecules in the probed volume exhibited the expected Poisson distribution for actually measuring 0, 1 or 2 molecules. Difference between the SERRS spectra of R6G excited by linearly and circularly polarized light were experimentally measured.