A new SERS-active sandwich structure

We report surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from a “sandwich” structure of two silver layers, in which a thin film of activated carbon is embedded. The first silver layer is prepared by electroless deposition on a non-conductive substrate, while the second one is electrodeposited on the adsorbed carbon powder. This “sandwich” does not only yield stable SERS signals from the carbon but also a strong additional enhancement (compared to SERS from simple carbon/silver or silver/carbon structures), stemming from a coupling of the two silver layers. The “sandwich” structure should be widely applicable since its preparation is very simple.Paper presented at the “Jahrestagung der Fachgruppe Angewandte Electrochemie der Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, Düsseldorf, 11.–14.06.2005.”