Abstract
The increasing applications of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has led to the development of various SERS-active platforms (SERS substrates) for SERS measurement. This work reviews the current optimization techniques available for improving the performance of some of these SERS substrates. The work particularly identifies self-assembled-monolayer(SAM-) based substrate modification for optimum SERS activity and wider applications. An overview of SERS, SAM, and studies involving SAM-modified substrates is highlighted. The focus of the paper then shifts to the use of SAMs to improve analytical applications of SERS substrates by addressing issues including long-term stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and functionalization, and so forth. The paper elaborates on the use of SAMs to achieve optimum SERS enhancement. Specific examples are based on novel multilayered SERS substrates developed in the author’s laboratory where SAMs have been demonstrated as excellent dielectric spacers for improving SERS enhancement more than 20-fold relative to conventional single layer SERS substrates. Such substrate optimization can significantly improve the sensitivity of the SERS method for analyte detection.
Highlights
The Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factor strength for the chains was compared to the numerical predictions
Culha et al describes a novel substrate constructed from silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to obtain more reproducible SERS spectra for bacterial identification. They compared the results of the study to their previously reported results obtained from the samples prepared with simple mixing and convective assembly. They concluded that the prepared SERS substrate generates similar reproducibility to the convective assembly but more improved reproducibility over simple mixing
Goncalves et al reported the investigation of hotspot formations on triangular silver nanostructures fabricated by thermal evaporation by examining the SERS of thiols and dye molecules adsorbed on these nanostructures
Summary
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is welcomed by researchers in a wide range of fields from physics to medicine. This issue covers a number of diverse and promising applications of SERS and further demonstrates its interdisciplinary landscape. The SERS enhancement factor strength for the chains was compared to the numerical predictions.
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