Highly effective and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Ag pyramidal arrays

• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-013-0291-0
• Publication Date: 2013-01-18T07:14:25Z
• Authors: Yandong Wang; Nan Lu; Wentao Wang; Lingxiao Liu; Lei Feng; Zhoufang Zeng; Haibo Li; Weiqing Xu; Zijian Wu; Wei Hu; Yanqing Lu; Lifeng Chi
• Keywords: Pyramid (geometry); Relative standard deviation

Close-packed Ag pyramidal arrays have been fabricated by using inverted pyramidal pits on Si as a template and used to generate plentiful and homogeneous surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) hot sites. The sharp nanotip and the four edges of the Ag pyramid result in strong electromagnetic field enhancement with an average enhancement factor (EF) of 2.84 × 107. Moreover, the features of the close-packed Ag pyramidal array can be well controlled, which allows SERS substrates with good reproducibility to be obtained. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 8.78% both across a single substrate and different batches of substrates.