Simultaneous Photoluminescence and SERS Observation of Nanodiamond at Laser Deposition on Noble Metals

Abstract

The metal-modified luminescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) occurring near nanostructured surfaces of noble metals recently have been observed for different kinds of nanocrystals associated with the metal nanostructures. In the present work, the photoluminescence and Raman scattering of diamond nanocrystals of sizes 100 and 300 nm patterned on Ag and Au thin nanostructured films via laser accelerated deposition using a femtosecond laser are discussed. The laser accelerated deposition forms ordered periodical nanodiamond–metal nanostructures and allows adjusting the interaction between nanodiamond and metal by varying the laser acceleration parameters as well as by using different metals (Ag and Au), and varying the structure of the metal film. Correspondingly, the spectroscopic properties of the system determined by interaction between nanoparticles and metal are tuned. The enhancement of nanodiamond photoluminescence together with SERS of graphite fraction and disordered carbon of nanodiamonds are observed for nanodiamond–Ag structures at 488- and 532-nm excitations, while for the nanodiamond–Au structure some characteristic SERS effects are observed at 785-nm excitation. The mechanisms of enhancement are discussed considering the nanodiamond–metal interaction and laser acceleration effect on nanodiamond.