Physical Deposition Improved SERS Stability of Morphology Controlled Periodic Micro/Nanostructured Arrays Based on Colloidal Templates

Abstract

An effective and inexpensive method is developed to fabricate periodic arrays by sacrificial colloidal monolayer template route by chemical deposition and further physical deposition. By a colloidal template induced precursor solution dipping strategy, different periodic arrays of semi-hollow sphere array, inverse opal with monolayer pore arrays and hole arrays are obtained under different conditions. After magnetron sputtering deposition, their morphologies are changed to novel micro/nanostructured arrays of honeycomb-shaped arrays, hollow cavity arrays, and regular network arrays due to multiple direction deposition of sputtering deposition and shadow effect. After coating a gold thin layer, these periodic micro/nanostructured arrays are used as SERS active substrates and demonstrate a very stable SERS performance compared with periodic arrays achieved by direct colloidal template-induced chemical deposition. Additionally, a honeycomb-shaped array displays better SERS enhancement than that of a hollow cavity array or a regular network array. After optimization of honeycomb-shaped arrays with different periodicities, an array with periodicity of 350 nm demonstrates much stronger SERS enhancement and possesses a low detection limit of 10(-11) M R6G. Such stable SERS performance is useful for practical application in portable Raman detecting devices to detect organic molecules.

One-step Solution Processing of Ag, Au and Pd@MXene Hybrids for SERS

“…Nevertheless, no MXene-based plasmonic nanostructures of any kind have been reported so far. On the other hand, hybridizing NPs has exhibited advantageous properties for SERS in the past decade due to their high surface to volume ratio, surface control, and excellent plasmonic properties232425. The single delocalized d -electrons as well as surface roughness of NPs can selectively enhance electromagnetic radiation at specific excitation wavelengths.…”

Ordered Hybrid Micro/Nanostructures and Their Optical Applications

“…Honeycomb‐shaped arrays proved a better SERS enhancement than a hollow cavity array and a regular network array due to the much rough surface. The high sensitivity and a low detection limit of 10 −11 mol L −1 R6G solution were obtained . The sharp nanotip and four edges of the close‐packed Ag pyramidal arrays resulted in the strong electromagnetic field enhancement with an average enhancement factor of 2.84 × 10 7 .…”

Bottom-Up Assembly and Applications of Photonic Materials

“…Zhang et al described the use of a combination of nanosphere lithography combined with chemical deposition and a subsequent physical deposition step with a careful control of each step to create various types of novel nanostructured arrays resembling honey-combs, hollow cavities and regular network arrays [71,79]. Wang et al reported the use of nanosphere lithography to manufacture titanium dioxide nanobowl structures that were used to further grow titanium dioxide Zhang et al described the use of a combination of nanosphere lithography combined with chemical deposition and a subsequent physical deposition step with a careful control of each step to create various types of novel nanostructured arrays resembling honey-combs, hollow cavities and regular network arrays [71,79]. Wang et al reported the use of nanosphere lithography to manufacture titanium dioxide nanobowl structures that were used to further grow titanium dioxide nanorods in them for photoelectrical water splitting purposes [67].…”