Inherent complexities of trace detection by surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) are powerful optical scattering techniques used in such frontier areas of research as ultrasensitive chemical analysis, the characterization of nanostructures, and the detection of single molecules. However, measuring and, most importantly, interpreting SERS/SERRS spectra can be incredibly challenging. This is the result of modifications to the measured spectra that are due to of a variety of instabilities and contributions. These interferences and modifications arise from the nature of the enhancement itself, as well as the conditions used to attain SERS spectra. The present report is an attempt to collect in one place the analytical interferences that are most commonly found during the collection of SERS/SERRS spectra.     

呫吨类染料的表面增强共振喇曼散射光谱

本文研究了呫吨类染料分子(R110, RB, SRB, R_6G, R101和SF)吸附于化学沉积银岛膜上的表面增强共振喇曼散射(SERRS)光谱。文中详细的介绍了获得SERRS的实验条件, 对谱线的归属作了指认, 并讨论了共振、表面增强、吸附状态和衬底制备条件等因素对SERRS的特征和对喇曼散射截面的增强的影响。结果表明, SERRS是研究强荧光染料分子以及它们与金属表面相互作用的一种新的有效手段。     

Identification and characterization of active and inactive species for surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering

The surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) activity of a statistically significant number of silver nanoparticles has been studied using a correlated SERRS mapping and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) method. TEM allowed the nature of each entity to be directly identified, and the SERRS activity was obtained from the corresponding SERRS map. Particles in various states of aggregation were analyzed to establish relative activities. It was established that SERRS activity is dependent on the specific batch of colloid tested. By averaging different colloid batches, it was shown that increasing SERRS activity is observed with increasing numbers of particles in the aggregates. By reducing the surface coverage of the particles to the extent that single moieties could be examined optically, the ratio of the relative activities of single particles, dimers, trimers, and larger aggregates was estimated. High-resolution TEM images of a number of active and inactive particles are reported. However, no clear correlation between microstructure and SERRS activity was observed.     

Elucidation of interaction between metal-free tetraphenylporphine and surface Ag atoms through temporal fluctuation of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering and background-light emission

We have observed simultaneously temporal fluctuation of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and its background-light emission from single Ag nanoaggregates that were adsorbed with metal-free tetraphenylporphine (H(2)TPP) molecules. We found that temporally stable SERRS spectra showed clearly a SERRS band that is attributed to a stretching mode of a chemical bond between a carbon atom and a non-hydrogenated nitrogen atom (C(alpha)-N). This stretching mode was not observed in regular resonance Raman spectra which are free from surface enhancement. On the other hand, we also found that temporally unstable SERRS spectra did not clearly show a C(alpha)-N stretching mode in SERRS bands. Furthermore, temporally stable SERRS spectra were accompanied by temporally stable background-light emission. Kobayashi et al. [J. Phys. Chem. 1985, 89, 5174] reported that formation of an Ag-N bond between surface Ag atoms and non-hydrogenated N atoms in a pyrrole ring enhances the intensity of a C(alpha)-N stretching mode. Thus, the observed relationship between clear appearance of a C(alpha)-N stretching mode and temporal stability of SERRS plus background-light emission strongly suggests that formation of a stable Ag-N bond suppresses fluctuation of both SERRS and background-light emission. Furthermore, the observed relationship implies that chemical contribution to SERRS is stabilization of H(2)TPP molecules that are adsorbed on SERRS-active sites by formation of Ag-N bonds. Additionally, we attributed background-light emission to luminescence of complexes between H(2)TPP molecules and surface Ag atoms considering possible formation of Ag-N bonds, synchronized SERRS intensity with background-light emission intensity, blue-shifted background-light emission maxima from normal fluorescence maxima, and previous reports related to electronic structures of H(2)TPP molecules on Ag surfaces.     

Quantitative analysis of methyl green using surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of aqueous solutions of the triphenylmethane dye methyl green have been obtained for the first time by use of citrate-reduced silver colloids and a laser excitation wavelength of 632.8 nm. Given the highly fluorescent nature of the analyte, which precluded collection of normal Raman spectra of the dye in solution and powdered state, it was highly encouraging that SERRS spectra showed no fluorescence due to quenching by the silver sol. The pH conditions for SERRS were optimised over the pH range 0.5–10 and the biggest enhancement for SERRS of this charged dye was found to be at pH 2.02, thus this condition was used for quantitative analysis. SERRS was found to be highly sensitive and enabled quantitative determination of methyl green over the range 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁷ mol dm⁻³. Good fits to correlation coefficients were obtained over this range using the areas under the vibrational bands at 1615 and 737 cm⁻¹. Finally, a limit of detection of 83 ppb was calculated, demonstrating the sensitivity of the technique.     

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopic characterization of the protein native structure

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of biological species are often different from their resonance Raman (RR) spectra. A home-designed Raman flow system is used to determine the factors that contribute to the difference between the SERRS and RR of met-myoglobin (metMb). The results indicate that both the degree of protein-nanoparticles interaction and the laser irradiation contribute to the structural changes and are responsible for the observed differences between the SERRS and RR spectra of metMb. The prolonged adsorption of the protein molecules on the nanoparticle surface, which is the condition normally used for the conventional SERRS experiments, disturbs the heme pocket structure and facilitates the charge transfer process and the photoinduced transformation of proteins. The disruption of the heme pocket results in the loss of the distal water molecule, and the resulting SERRS spectrum of metMb shows a 5-coordinated high-spin heme. The flow system, when operated at a moderately high flow rate, can basically eliminate the factors that disturb the protein structure while maintaining a high enhancement factor. The SERRS spectrum obtained from a 1 x 10 (-7) M metMb solution using this flow system is basically identical to the RR spectrum of a 5 x 10 (-4) M metMb solution. Therefore, the Raman flow system reported here should be useful for characterizing the protein-nanoparticles interaction and the native structure of proteins using SERRS spectroscopy.     

Electrochemical pathway for the quantification of SERS enhancement factor

This communication presents a new pathway for the more precise quantification of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factor via deducing resonance Raman scattering (RRS) effect from surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). To achieve this, a self-assembled monolayer of 1,8,15,22-tetraaminophthalocyanatocobalt(II) (4α-Co^IITAPc) is formed on plasmon inactive glassy carbon (GC) and plasmon active GC/AuNP surface. The surfaces are subsequently used as common probes for electrochemical and Raman (RRS and SERRS) studies. The most crucial parameters required for the quantification of SERS substrate enhancement factor (SSEF) such as real surface area of GC/AuNPs substarte and the number of 4α-Co^IITAPc molecules contributing to RRS (on GC) and SERRS (on GC/AuNPs) are precisely estimated by cyclic voltammetry experiments. The present approach of SSEF quantification can be applied to varieties of surfaces by choosing an appropriate laser line and probe molecule for each surface.     

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering and background light emission coupled with plasmon of single Ag nanoaggregates

We investigated the optical properties of isolated single aggregates of Ag nanoparticles (Ag nanoaggregates) on which rhodamine 6G molecules were adsorbed to reveal experimentally a correlation among plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering, surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS), and its background light emission. From the lack of excitation-laser energy dependence of background emission maxima we concluded that the background emission is luminescence, not Raman scattering. The polarization dependence of both SERRS and background emission was the same as that of the lowest-energy plasmon resonance maxima, which is associated with a longitudinal plasmon. From the common polarization dependence, we identified that the lowest-energy plasmon is coupled with both SERRS and background emission. In addition, we revealed that the lowest-energy plasmon with a higher quality factor (Q factor) yields larger SERRS and background emission intensity. Also, we identified that the Q factor dependence of the SERRS intensity was similar to that of the background emission intensity. This similarity directly supported us to demonstrate an enhancement of both SERRS and background emission by coupling with a common plasmon radiative mode.     

Single molecular detection of a perylene dye dispersed in a Langmuir-Blodgett fatty acid monolayer using surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering

The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayer technique was used to fabricate single molecule LB monolayer containing bis(phenethylimido)perylene (PhPTCD), a red dye dispersed in arachidic acid (AA) with an average doping of 1 molecule per microm2. The monolayer was transferred onto Ag island films to obtain spatially resolved surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra. The mixed LB monolayers were fabricated with a concentration, on average, of 1, 6, 19 and 118 PhPTCD molecules per microm2 in AA. The AA provides a two-dimensional host matrix whose background signal does not interfere with the detection of the probe molecule's SERRS signal. The properties of the single molecule detection were investigated using micro-Raman with a 514.5-nm laser line. The Ag island surfaces coated with the LB monolayer were mapped with spatial steps of 3 microm and global chemical imaging of the most intense SERRS band in the spectrum was also recorded. The SERRS and surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) of the neat and single molecule LB monolayer were recorded in a temperature range from liquid nitrogen to + 200 degrees C. Neat PhPTCD LB monolayer spectra served as reference for the identification of characteristic signatures of the single molecule behavior. The spatial resolution of Raman-microscopy experiments, the multiplicative effect of resonance Raman and SERRS, and the high sensitivity of the new dispersive Raman instruments, allow SERRS to be part of the family of single molecular spectroscopies.     

Surface- and resonance-enhanced micro-Raman spectroscopy of xanthene dyes: from the ensemble to single molecules.

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) spectra of various rhodamine dyes, of pyronine G and thiopyronine adsorbed on isolated silver clusters were recorded at the ensemble level and at the single-molecule level with a high-resolution confocal laser microscope equipped with a spectrograph and a CCD-detector. Comparing single-molecule spectra with ensemble spectra, various inhomogeneous spectral features, such as line splitting, spectral wandering, spectral diffusion and abrupt spectral jumps between different metastable spectral states, are revealed positions and the relative intensities of the vibronic bands. Resonance enhancement is investigated with respect to single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy and is found to be responsible for approximately three orders of magnitude in sensitivity. A significant influence of the substituents on the single-molecule SERRS sensitivity is found, showing that various chemical effects are responsible for surface enhancement in addition to the electromagnetic enhancement effect.     

Quantitative evaluation of blinking in surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering and fluorescence by electromagnetic mechanism

We analyze blinking in surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) of rhodamine 6G molecules as intensity and spectral instability by electromagnetic (EM) mechanism. We find that irradiation of intense NIR laser pulses induces blinking in SERRS and SEF. Thanks to the finding, we systematically analyze SERRS and SEF from stable to unstable using single Ag nanoparticle (NP) dimers. The analysis reveals two physical insights into blinking as follows. (1) The intensity instability is inversely proportional to the enhancement factors of decay rate of molecules. The estimation using the proportionality suggests that separation of the molecules from Ag NP surfaces is several angstroms. (2) The spectral instability is induced by blueshifts in EM enhancement factors, which have spectral shapes similar to the plasmon resonance. This analysis provides us with a quantitative picture for intensity and spectral instability in SERRS and SEF within the framework of EM mechanism.     

Surface enhanced raman and resonance raman spectroscopy in a non-aqueous electrochemical environment: Tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) adsorbed on silver from acetonitrile

This letter reports the first observation of both surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) from the transition metal complex tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium (II), Ru(bpy)₃²⁺, adsorbed on a silver electrode from acetonitrile (ACN). The assignment of these spectra as valid examples of SERS and SERRS in a non-aqueous environment is based on the following criteria: (1) in situ demonstration of monolayer surface coverage of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ using double potential step chronocoulometry (DPSCC); (2) the Raman signals are most intense after surface roughening by anodization; (3) the Raman spectra are potential dependent in the non-faradaic potential region; (4) the measured enhancement factors are greater ilian 10⁶; (5) the surface spectra are frequency shifted relative to their bulk counterpart; and (6) several other molecules also exhibit non-aqueous SERS and SERRS behavior. These results are highly significant in that generality of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy has been extended into the rich domain of nonaqueous electrochemistry.     

Cetylpyridinium Chloride Activated Trinitrotoluene Explosive Lights Up Robust and Ultrahigh Surface‐Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering in a Silver Sol

Surface‐enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) is not realized for most molecules of interest. Here, we developed a new SERRS platform for the fast and sensitive detection of 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT), a molecule with low Raman cross section. A cationic surfactant, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) was modified on the surface of silver sols (CP‐capped Ag). CPC not only acts as the surface‐seeking species to trap sulfite‐sulfonated TNT, but also undergoes complexation with it, resulting in the presence of two charge‐transfer bands at 467 and 530 nm, respectively. This chromophore absorbs the visible light that matches with the incident laser and plasmon resonance of Ag sols by the use of a 532.06 nm laser, and offered large resonance Raman enhancement. This SERRS platform evidenced a fast and accurate detection of TNT with a detection limit of 5×10^?11 M under a low laser power (200 μW) and a short integration time (3 s). The CP‐capped Ag also provides remarkable sensitivity and reliable repeatability. This study provides a facile and reliable method for TNT detection and a viable idea for the SERS detection of various non‐resonant molecules.     

Spectral variations in background light emission of surface-enhanced resonance hyper Raman scattering coupled with plasma resonance of individual silver nanoaggregates

We demonstrate the origin of spectral variations in background light emission of surface enhanced resonance hyper Raman scattering (SERHRS) from single Ag nanoaggregates. Ag nanoaggregate-by-nanoaggregate variations in background light emission spectra are related to plasma (plasmon) resonance spectra. Temporal variations in background light emission spectra with temporal blueshifts in plasma resonance spectra are also observed under continuous laser excitation. Both types of the variations in background light emission are reproduced by multiplying background light emission spectra measured from a Ag microaggregate by Lorentz function spectra derived from plasma resonance spectra. The reproduction reveals that second electromagnetic (EM) enhancement by plasma resonance is the origin of the variations. Additionally, spectral variations in background light emission of SERHRS are similar to that of surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). The similarity indicates that both types of background light emission commonly obtain second EM enhancement from identical plasma resonance.     

Direct visual evidence for chemical mechanism of SERRS of pyrazine adsorbed on Ag nanoparticle via charge transfer

In this paper, the chemical enhancement of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) of pyrazine adsorbed on Ag nanoparticles through charge transfer was experimentally and theoretically investigated. Based on the calculations by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT), we theoretically analyzed the absorption spectra and SERS spectrum of the S-complex of pyrazine–Ag₂₀. The charge transfer in the process of resonant electronic transitions between adsorbed molecule and metal cluster can be visualized by the method of charge difference density. It is a direct evidence for the chemical enhancement mechanism of SERRS of pyrazine molecule adsorbed on Ag nanoparticle via charge transfer between molecule and metal. Additionally, the intracluster charge redistribution was also considered as an evidence for the electromagnetic enhancement. By comparing the experimental and theoretical results, it was demonstrated that the SERRS of the pyrazine molecule absorbed on silver clusters in different incident wavelength regions is dominated by different enhancement mechanisms via the chemical and electromagnetic enhancements.     

Single-molecule surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy of the enhanced green fluorescent protein

In the present contribution, we demonstrated that surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectra from single green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) were obtained. The most important findings are the direct detection of the conversion between a deprotonated and a protonated form of the chromophore at the single-molecule level via the corresponding vibrational fingerprints, and the fact that the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) also shows a high surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) signal. Our findings show the potential of the technique to study structural dynamics of protein molecules at a single-molecule level.     

Silver-particle-based surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering spectroscopy for biomolecular sensing and recognition

We demonstrate in this work that 2-μm-sized Ag (μAg) powders can be used as a core material for constructing biomolecular sensing/recognition units operating via surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). This is possible because μAg powders are very efficient substrates for both the diffuse reflectance IR and the surface-enhanced Raman scattering–SERRS spectroscopic characterization of molecular adsorbates prepared in a similar manner on silver surfaces. Besides, the agglomeration of μAg particles in a buffer solution can be prevented by the layer-by-layer deposition of cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes such as poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). In this particular study, we used rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RhBITC) as a SERRS marker molecule, and μAg powders adsorbed consecutively with RhBITC and PAH–PAA bilayers were finally derivatized with biotinylated poly(l-lysine). On the basis of the nature of the SERRS peaks of RhBITC, those μAg powders were confirmed to selectively recognize streptavidin molecules down to concentrations of 10⁻¹⁰ g mL⁻¹. Since a number of different molecules can be used as SERS–SERRS marker molecules, the present method proves to be an invaluable tool for multiplex biomolecular sensing/recognition via SERS and SERRS.     

Resonance Raman optical activity and surface enhanced resonance Raman optical activity analysis of cytochrome c

High-resolution resonance Raman (RR) and resonance Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra of cytochrome c were obtained in order to perform full assignment of spectral features of the resonance ROA spectrum. The resonance ROA spectrum of cytochrome c revealed a distinct spectral signature pattern due to resonance enhanced skeletal porphyrin vibrations, more pronounced than any contribution from the protein backbone. Combining the intrinsic resonance properties of cytochrome c with the surface plasmon enhancement achieved with colloidal silver particles, the surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) and surface enhanced resonance ROA (SERROA) spectra of the protein were successfully obtained at concentrations as low as 1 microM. The assignments of spectral features were based on the information obtained from the RR and resonance ROA spectra. Excellent agreement between RR and SERRS spectra is reported, while some disparities were observed between the resonance ROA and SERROA spectra. These differences can be ascribed to perturbations of the physical properties of the protein upon adhesion to the surface of the silver colloids.     

Applicability of surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering for the direct discrimination of ballpoint pen inks

In situ surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) with excitation at 685 nm is suitable for the direct discrimination of blue and black ballpoint pen inks on paper. For black inks, shorter excitation wavelengths can also be used. For blue inks, SERRS at 514.5 and 457.9 nm does not provide adequate discriminative power. At these excitation wavelengths, the SERRS signals of the Methyl Violet derivatives present in inks easily dominate the overall spectrum because of resonance enhancement and preferential interaction with silver sol particles. At 685 nm, this problem is not encountered as the Methyl Violet derivatives do not show resonance enhancement, while other components may still exhibit resonance. Thirteen blue and thirteen black ink lines were examined. For the blue and black inks, on the basis of the 685 nm SERR spectra, eight and six groups of spectra, respectively, could be distinguished. This discrimination largely agrees with information from thin layer chromatography (TLC) experiments, although some differences in group compositions are found. The in situ SERR spectra show good repeatability with regard to the Raman frequencies, band shapes and relative intensities of the spectral bands. However, absolute intensities cannot be used for discrimination purposes.