SERS activity of Ag decorated nanodiamond and nano-β-SiC, diamond-like-carbon and thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces

Abstract

In the recent past surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based bio-sensing has gained prominence owing to the simplicity and efficiency of the SERS technique. Dedicated and continuous research efforts have been made to develop SERS substrates that are not only stable, durable and reproducible but also facilitate real-time bio-sensing. In this context diamond, β-SiC and diamond-like-carbon (DLC) and other related thin films have been promoted as excellent candidates for bio-technological applications including real time bio-sensing. In this work, SERS activities of nanodiamond, nano-β-SiC, DLC, thermally annealed diamond thin film surfaces were examined. DLC and thermally annealed diamond thin films were found to show SERS activity without any metal nanostructures on their surfaces. The observed SERS activities of the considered surfaces are explained in terms of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism and charge transfer resonance process.

Observation of Graphite-Like and Diamond-Like Nanostructures in the Raman Spectra of Natural and Synthesized MoS2 Crystals with Small Carbon Additives

“…The manifestations in the Raman spectra the acoustic modes of NC MoS2(C), the appearance in this region the low-frequency vibrations of α-MoO3, as well as the presence of higher-frequency vibrational resonances of carbon nanostructures and adsorbed water contributes to efficient pumping of thermal energy associated with strong VEI [14 -17]. In particular, it was shown in [80] that diamond-like carbon and thermally annealed diamond thin films exhibit SERS activity without any metal nanostructures on their surfaces, which is undoubtedly associated with changes in electronic states.…”

Unique Surface Modifications on Diamond Thin Films

“…Typically SERS activity of diamond surfaces is achieved by depositing suitable metal nanoclusters on their surfaces. The SERS activity in such cases is explained in terms of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism [5,7]. In the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism, there is a charge transfer from the Fermi level of the metal nanoclusters to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the adsorbed analyte molecules on the SERS surface.…”

“…In this section, the diamond thin film surface modified using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) (i.e., without any metal nanostructures on the diamond thin film surface) will be elucidated as a direct charge transfer resonance-based SERS surface [7]. The diamond thin film considered in the previous section is also considered here for elucidation.…”

“…In this chapter, unique surface modifications, namely the direct patterning of sub-wavelength features on the surface of a diamond thin film using a femtosecond laser [5,6], rapid thermal annealing (RTA) as a means to prepare the surface of a diamond thin film as an efficient direct charge transfer surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate [5,7], and implantation of 14 N + ions into the surface and sub-surface regions of a diamond thin film to enhance its surface electrical conductivity [8] will be discussed. The surface of a typical polycrystalline diamond thin film (deposited on Si substrate using CVD) will be considered as the surface to be modified.…”

Nitrogen content and morphology dependent field emission properties of nitrogen-doped SiC nanowires and density functional calculations

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Thus, SiC NWs have been synthesized by a number of different 4 Herein, a simple one-step synthesis method was employed to fabricate the N-doped SiC NWs with different N content and morphology, using melamine as the provider of both carbon and nitrogen elements, which could make the procedure simpler and better controlled than the previous work in which the raw materials were gases. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Thus, SiC NWs have been synthesized by a number of different 4 Herein, a simple one-step synthesis method was employed to fabricate the N-doped SiC NWs with different N content and morphology, using melamine as the provider of both carbon and nitrogen elements, which could make the procedure simpler and better controlled than the previous work in which the raw materials were gases.…”