Silver nanoparticle coverage dependence of surface-enhanced Raman scattering

We report surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from 4-mercaptopyridine adsorbed on nanotextured silver surfaces as the coverage of silver is varied. The degree of surface enhancement is strongly dependent on silver coverage and correlated to the extinction of the surface at the Raman excitation wavelength, that extinction being determined by multiparticle surface plasmon resonances. The coverage dependence of the Raman intensity is consistent with signals being dominated by molecules at junctions inside nanoparticle aggregates where electromagnetic energy is localized into “hot spots” by interactions of the incident and scattered fields with the surface plasmons. The Raman intensity drops precipitously near the conductivity percolation threshold because these hot spots are destroyed when conducting paths allow plasmons to propagate. Our approach to substrate preparation provides clean surfaces with average enhancements ≥10⁷, an order of magnitude larger than typical for SERS. PACS 78.67.-n; 78.68.+m; 33.20.Fb     

Engineering gold alloys for plasmonics

We demonstrate the formation of metal alloys in Au–Ag, Au–Cu and Au–Pd systems and the experimental determination of their optical properties using optical transmission and reflection spectroscopy. The optical constants define the plasmon resonance wavelength and electromagnetic field local intensity. However, the optical constants behavior cannot be precisely modeled based on the data of pure metals due to unknown morphology and composition of the alloy. It has to be determined experimentally. We demonstrate the surface-enhanced Raman scattering using alloy metals. Depending on the metal to which molecules are adsorbed, we observe enhancement of different Raman modes. It is mainly due to the chemical enhancement effect between metal and molecules.     

Concentric toroids as a wideband and efficient substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy applications

Designing a structure having high local field enhancement, wideband resonance, and large hot spot area is the key element to obtain a large enhancement factor for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy applications. Here, the concentric toroid structures in dimer configuration is proposed, which shows a large local field intensity in a wide spectral range and the region that leads to a high-surface-enhanced Raman scattering signal intensity. Calculations show that the average surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement is up to 60 times more compared to the conventional dimer toroid structures with similar size.     

基于Klarite芯片的表面增强拉曼散射特性研究

本文介绍了一种商用的表面增强拉曼芯片(Klarite),并对其表面形貌、拉曼活性进行了表征和测试分析.Klarite芯片由于独特的倒金字塔形设计使得其具有较好的拉曼活性、稳定性和重现性,为生命科学和分析化学研究提供了有力的研究工具.此外,我们对Klarite芯片在外电磁场作用下的表面电场分布进行了模拟,发现一个结构单元...     

Unified treatment of fluorescence and raman scattering processes near metal surfaces

We present a general model study of surface-enhanced resonant Raman scattering and fluorescence focusing on the interplay between electromagnetic effects and the molecular dynamics. Our model molecule is placed close to two Ag nanoparticles and has two electronic levels. A Franck-Condon mechanism provides electron-vibration coupling. Using realistic parameter values for the molecule we find that an electromagnetic enhancement by 10 orders of magnitude can yield Raman cross sections sigma(R) of the order 10(-14) cm(2). We also discuss the dependence of sigma(R) on incident laser intensity.     

FDTD simulation study of size/gap and substrate-dependent SERS activity study of Au@SiO_2 nanoparticles

We use Au@SiO_2 nanoparticles(NPs) to systematically and comprehensively study the relationship between nanostructure and activity for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Calculation simulation using the finite different time domain method verifies the experiment results and further reveals that the particle size and the distance between the NPs play vital roles in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS). Furthermore, in order to better simulate the real experiment, a Au@SiO_2 nanosphere dimer is placed on the silicon substrate and Au substrate, separately. The simulation results show that the large EM field coupling is due to the "hot spots" transferred from the NP–NP gaps to NP–surface of metal gaps,meanwhile, more "hot spots" occur. We also find that the signal intensity strongly depends on the position of the probe molecule. This work provides a better understanding of EM field enhancement.     

膜结构对金纳米线阵列表面增强拉曼散射的影响

金纳米线阵列作为表面增强拉曼散射的基底能够产生有效的增强效应,金纳米线阵列通过金线之间的电场耦合产生增强的拉曼信号。在实验中,制备出金纳米线阵列与金纳米刷,两种样品结构不同,金纳米刷的一面带有金膜。用巯基吡啶作为探针分子,金纳米刷的SERS实验显示出很好的增强效应,增强因子为106,不同位点的SERS谱具有区域不均一的特征。而相同实验条件下的金纳米线阵列的增强因子只有102。光学吸收谱表明这两种结构均发生了共振吸收增强电场,对其结构的分析表明,这两种结构具有不同的电场局域化分布,同时金纳米刷中金线上端强烈的电场耦合,这是其具有更好的增强效用的原因。同时,4-MP的表面增强拉曼谱的变化特征体现了化学增强效应的影响。     

Influence of local environment on the intensity of the localized surface plasmon polariton of Ag nanoparticles

A combined Ag nanoparticle with an insulating or conductive layer structure has been designed for molecular detection using surface enhanced Raman scattering microscopy. Optical absorption studies revealed localized surface plasmon resonance, which shows regular red shift with increasing environmental dielectric constant. With the combined structure of surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates and rhodamine 6G as a test molecule, the results in this paper show that the absorption has a linear relationship with the local electromagnetic field for insulating substrates, and the electrical property of the substrate has a non-negligible effect on the intensity of the local electromagnetic field and hence the Raman enhancement.     

界面自组装的金/氧化石墨烯复合材料的表面增强拉曼散射行为研究

采用Frens法制备金纳米粒子溶胶,通过界面自组装技术在掺磷的非晶碳衬底表面构筑三维的金/氧化石墨烯/金复合结构.以罗丹明B为探针分子,考察金/氧化石墨烯/金复合材料的表面增强拉曼散射活性.结果表明,由于氧化石墨烯的化学增强和金纳米粒子的电磁场增强的协同作用,在该三维复合材料上获得了很强的罗丹明B拉曼信号.所设计的三维金/氧化石墨烯/金复合材料在生物分析、环境监测、疾病防控、食品安全等领域具有潜在的应用价值.     

Long-range manifestation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering

The spatial scale at which the effect of surface-enhanced Raman scattering by planar Ag nanostructures manifests itself is investigated experimentally by direct measurements of the dependence of the enhancement factor on the distance between the surface of the Ag nanostructure and a layer of test organic molecules. It is found that the enhancement factor remains almost constant up to distances as large as 30 nm and drops abruptly at larger distances. The obtained dependence is universal for all kinds of organic molecules investigated. The fact that the surface enhancement of Raman scattering manifests itself on such a long spatial scale sharply contradicts the broadly accepted model assuming that the surface-enhanced Raman scattering decreases rapidly at distances as short as 2–3 nm.     

SERS activity of carbon nanotubes modified by silver nanoparticles with different particle sizes

A two-dimensional (2D) surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is fabricated by decorating carbon nanotube (CNT) films with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) in different sizes, via simple and low-cost chemical reduction method and self-assembling method. The change of Raman and SERS activity of carbon nanotubes/Ag nanoparticles (CNTs/AgNPs) composites with varying size of AgNPs are investigated by using rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a probe molecule. Meanwhile, the scattering cross section of AgNPs and the distribution of electric field of CNTs/AgNPs composite are simulated through finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength is redshifted as the size of AgNPs increases, and the intensity of SERS and electric field increase with AgNPs size increasing. The experiment and simulation results show a Raman scattering enhancement factor (EF) of 10⁸ for the hybrid substrate.     

Controllable optical activity of non-spherical Ag and Co SERS substrate with different magnetic field

We experimentally fabricate a non-spherical Ag and Co surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) substrate, which not only retains the metallic plasmon resonant effect, but also possesses the magnetic field controllable characteristics.Raman detections are carried out with the test crystal violet(CV) and rhodamine 6G(R6G) molecules with the initiation of different magnitudes of external magnetic field. Experimental results indicate that our prepared substrate shows a higher SERS activity and magnetic controllability, where non-spherical Ag nanoparticles are driven to aggregate effectively by the magnetized Co and plenty of hot-spots are built around the metallic Ag nanoparticles, thereby leading to the enhancement of local electromagnetic field. Moreover, when the external magnetic field is increased, our prepared substrate demonstrates excellent SERS enhancement. With the 2500 Gs and 3500 Gs(1 Gs = 10~(-4)T) magnetic fields, SERS signal can also be obtained with the detection limit lowering down to 10~(-9)M. These results indicate that our proposed magnetic field controlled substrate enables us to freely achieve the enhanced and controllable SERS effect, which can be widely used in the optical sensing, single molecule detection and bio-medical applications.     

噻菌灵在纳米银胶表面吸附的表面增强拉曼光谱研究

噻菌灵(TBZ)属苯并咪唑类杀菌剂,容易在水果、蔬菜及相应的果蔬饮品中形成有毒残留。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,从理论和实验角度系统研究了噻菌灵在纳米银胶粒子表面的吸附行为和增强效应。采用柠檬酸钠还原法制备了具有表面增强拉曼散射活性的银纳米溶胶,并对水相的噻菌灵进行了SERS光谱研究。利用TBZ-Ag₄四种吸附模型对噻菌灵与银纳米溶胶的相互作用进行了理论分析。结合FT-Raman光谱和B3LYP/6-311G(d)理论计算的结果,借助Gaussian View5.0程序的图形化功能,对噻菌灵分子的振动模式、FT-Raman振动光谱和SERS光谱进行了系统的指认。研究结果表明：噻菌灵分子的所有原子在同一平面上,属于Cs对称性;其在银纳米溶胶表面具有十分显著的表面增强拉曼活性;分子中的S原子与银胶粒子发生吸附作用,并通过该分子的长轴方向垂直于银纳米银胶表面;可利用SERS光谱方法对痕量的噻菌灵进行快速检测。为研究噻菌灵的特性以及其快速检测提供了理论和实验依据。     

P-thiocresol 吸附在银纳米粒子表面系统的表面增强拉曼散射和表面增强共振拉曼散射的增强研究

文中从实验和计算两方面报道了在514.5 nm激发光下P-Thiocresol吸附在银胶表面系统的表面增强拉曼散射(SERS).文中分析了它的增强机制,发现增强主要来自于电磁场增强.如果考虑距离为2nm的两个银纳米粒子的耦舍效应,两粒子之间的SERS的电磁场增强为7.16 × 107.静态化学增强亦起到部分增强作用,它的增强倍数为6.所以,总的SERS增强,包括静态化学增强和电磁场增强,是Gtotal=Gsc ×GEM=4.4×108.我们也理论地研究了此系统的表面增强共振拉曼散射(SERRS).当激发光与P-Thiocresol-Ag3系统的激发态共振时,电荷转移机制(化学增强)也将起到重要作用,最强的增强可迭106.我们使用电荷密度将激发光下p-Thlocresol和Ag团簇问的电荷转移结果可视化,这是电荷转移的直接理论证据.对于SERRS增强,包括电荷转移和电磁场增强机制,能达到1013.     

Laser-induced synthesis of metal–carbon materials for implementing surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Metal–carbon materials exhibiting surface-enhanced Raman scattering have been synthesized by laser irradiation of colloidal systems consisting of carbon and noble metal nanoparticles. The dependence of the Raman scattering intensity on the material composition and laser irradiation conditions has been investigated. The possibility of recording the Raman spectrum of organic dye rhodamine 6G, deposited in amount of 10^–6 M on the substrate obtained from a colloidal solution is demonstrated.     

以新型银胶为衬底小鼠血清的表面增强拉曼光谱分析

针对以新型银胶体粒子为表面增强拉曼衬底获得的高信噪比的小鼠血清的表面增强拉曼光谱进行了分析,对小鼠血清拉曼光谱进行了初步指认。文章首先根据银胶体粒子形貌及特性,从电磁场物理增强的角度,分析了表面增强拉曼散射中有关银胶体粒子聚集形成“热点”导致局部电场增强效应的作用机理,并依据“热点”理论的分析,认为这种新型银胶体粒子具有很强的局域电场增强效果。同时运用表面增强拉曼中“热点”的现象,解释了小鼠血清的表面增强拉曼光谱中出现的低含量成分的拉曼光谱现象。希望通过表面增强拉曼光谱,了解血清中某些低含量成分的微小变化,进而能够及时获得机体的状况。研究结果为如何获得高信噪比生物大分子的表面增强拉曼散射光谱,了解丰富的生物分子结构信息提供了一种新的方法,同时也为开拓医学上利用血清进行疾病的早期检测提供了一种分子光谱学手段。     

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.     

胞嘧啶核苷在纳米银膜上的NIR-SERS光谱检测

采用一种高活性的纳米银膜作为表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底,以近红外激光(785 nm)作为激发光源,对胞嘧啶核苷(胞苷)水溶液(10-2～10-8 mol·L-1)进行了近红外表面增强拉曼散射(NIR-SERS)光谱检测。实验结果表明,当胞苷水溶液浓度等于或低于10-7 mol · L-1时,可在300～2 000 cm-1范围内获得信噪比较好的NIR-SERS光谱。将胞苷水溶液(10-2～10-5 mol · L-1)分别滴在10片不同的纳米银薄膜上进行检测,结果表明该纳米银膜体现出了较好的光谱重现性。通过对纳米银膜表面形貌进行表征发现聚乙烯醇(PVA)包覆的纳米银颗粒在铝片表面形成“草状”结构。并通过对吸附了胞苷分子的纳米银膜进行紫外-可见光反射光谱检测,发现在800 nm处出现等离子共振峰。因此采用785 nm的近红外激光作为激发光时,该体系能够体现出强烈的表面等离子共振(surface plasmon resonance, SPR)特性。同时采用DFT-B3LYP/6-311G对胞苷分子进行了拉曼光谱计算,计算所采用入射光波长为785 nm,通过计算结果与实验测得的胞苷固体的拉曼光谱对比发现在300～2 000 cm-1范围内两者匹配得较好,进而对其振动进行了归属。最后通过比较胞苷的拉曼光谱和NIR-SERS光谱对胞苷分子在纳米银膜上的可能吸附方式进行了分析。分析结果表明胞苷分子主要为其核糖部分吸附纳米银颗粒上,同时该分子的17NH₂基团可能靠近局域电磁场增强区域。     

Finding electromagnetic and chemical enhancement factors of surface-enhanced Raman scattering

The authors report two methods to determine electromagnetic and chemical enhancement factors in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which are based on saturation property and decay dynamics of photoluminescence and concurrent measurements of photoluminescence and resonance Raman scattering intensities. Considerations for experimental implementation are discussed. This study is expected to facilitate the understanding of SERS mechanisms and the advancement of the usage of SERS in chemical and biological sensor applications.     

FT-Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering of Phenylalanine Using Silver-Coated Glass Fiber Filters

A simple and facile method has been developed to produce surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active surfaces. Tollen's reagent was used to coat silver onto the surface of glass fiber filters. Using a Fourier transform (FT) Raman instrument, strong surface-enhanced Raman signals have been observed for L-phenylalanine on these surfaces. The use of an FT-Raman instrument combined with this new SERS method allows for a method with both high sensitivity and selectivity. A linear dependence of the Raman signal on L-phenylalanine concentration (0.01–1.0 mM) has been demonstrated. The SERS technique presented here is both novel and promising for biochemical analysis.