Toward a New Era of SERS and TERS at the Nanometer Scale: From Fundamentals to Innovative Applications

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) have opened a variety of exciting research fields. However, although a vast number of applications have been proposed since the two techniques were first reported, none has been applied to real practical use. This calls for an update in the recent fundamental and application studies of SERS and TERS. Thus, the goals and scope of this review are to report new directions and perspectives of SERS and TERS, mainly from the viewpoint of combining their mechanism and application studies. Regarding the recent progress in SERS and TERS, this review discusses four main topics: (1) nanometer to subnanometer plasmonic hotspots for SERS; (2) Ångström resolved TERS; (3) chemical mechanisms, i.e., charge-transfer mechanism of SERS and semiconductor-enhanced Raman scattering; and (4) the creation of a strong bridge between the mechanism studies and applications.

Correlated Polarization Dependences between Surface-Enhanced Resonant Raman Scattering and Plasmon Resonance Elastic Scattering Showing Spectral Uncorrelation to Each Other

“…The contribution of the DQ-coupled resonance to F R ( ω ) was also theoretically evaluated using the deviation of the radiation pattern of the PRES from that of the DD-coupled resonance. This study indicates the importance of subradiant resonance in the EM enhancement of various plasmonic HSs composed of NP or nanowire dimers, NPs on mirrors, and NP clusters. ,− …”

Contribution of Subradiant Plasmon Resonance to Electromagnetic Enhancement in Resonant Raman with Fluorescence Examined by Single Silver Nanoparticle Dimers

“…The DQ-coupled resonance, which is subradiant, receives excitation light and emits SERRS and SEF light through near-field interaction with the DD-coupled resonance. Our study contributes to the understanding of the EM enhancement of various plasmonic HSs composed of NP or nanowire dimers, NPs on mirrors, and NP clusters. ,− It also shows that “type I” and “type II” can be uniformly described by changing the degree of contribution of subradiant resonance to SERRS with SEF and using coupling parameters between dipole and dipole or dipole and quadrupole. In short, the new insight obtained in the present study is that the interactions between subradiant plasmons and molecular excitons can be evaluated by comparing the elastic scattering spectra and SERRS with the SEF spectra of plasmonic systems generating EM enhancement.…”

Green Fabrication of Anticorrosive, Antibacterial, and SERS Active Nanohybrid Coatings by Dual-Spinneret Electrospinning

“…It is well documented that the Raman signal enhancement in SERS applications fundamentally stems from the electromagnetic enhancement (EM) and/or chemical enhancement (CE) mechanisms. , To obtain the enhanced Raman signals from analyte molecules, an amplified localized electromagnetic field on the substrate, which relies on the EM mechanism, and/or energetically effective charge-transfer processes between the substrate material and analyte molecules originating from the CE mechanism should be realized. Considering the chemical and physical nature of the substrate/analyte systems, the Raman signal enhancement in SERS measurements could be explained by one or both of these mechanisms.…”