Sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on anti-pyramidal gold architectures decorated with silver nanoparticles

Abstract

A micro-structured gold surface, consisting of a periodic square–based anti–pyramidal array (Klarite) with a smooth boundary surface on which silver nanoparticles (diameter: 60 nm) were deposited, produced an active surface enhanced Raman scattering substrate. With p-aminothiophenol as a probe molecule, the Raman activity of the micro–structured surface was compared before and after deposition of the silver nanoparticles. Experimental results show that the Raman spectra on the silver/p-aminothiophenol/Klarite structure is stronger than that on the silver/p-aminothiophenol/gold film and the Raman spectra on the silver/p-aminothiophenol/gold film is stronger than that on silver/p-aminothiophenol, p-aminothiophenol/Klarite structure, p-aminothiophenol/gold film, which is confirmed by numerical simulations. A similar result is obtained with crystal violet as test molecule.