• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.27-29
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• 1988

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) of benzylcyanide in a silver sol was investigated. It was concluded that the molecule adsorbed onto the silver surface via the ${\pi}$ system of the CN group. The molecule was assumed to coordinate with either a single atom or two silver atoms. According to the SERS selection rule, the benzene ring of the adsorbed species seemed to assume a flat stance with respect to the silver surface.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.55-58
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• 1986

Analytical capability of surface-enhanced Raman scattering has been evaluated. Silver films prepared by homogeneous chemical reduction were used as the substrate. Detection limits for p-nitrobenzoic acid, thiophenol and rhodamine 6G were around $10{\sim}100\;pg$.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2013

This study reports a fiber-optic sensor detecting biomolecule by simultaneously monitoring localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of ca. $50{\pm}5$ nm attached on one end of optical fiber and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the reporter molecules adsorbed on the gold surfaces as an additional sensing tool. The sensor was fabricated by immobilizing Au NPs on one end of an optical fiber by chemical reaction. LSPR and SERS signals of the sensor were measured using various refractive indices solutions. Finally, the sensor was applied to observe real-time LSPR sensor-gram and SERS spectra of the reporter molecule of 4-aminothiphenol during the antibody-antigen reaction of interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) as a proof-concept experiment of biological applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.636-636
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• 2013

Since first discovery of strong Raman spectrum of molecules adsorbed on rough noble metal, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used for detection of molecules with low concentration. Surface plasmons at noble metal can enhance Raman spectrum and using Au nanostructures as substrates of SERS has advantages due to it has chemical stability and biocompatibility. However, the photoluminescence (PL) background from Au remains a problem because of obtaining molecular vibration information. Recently, graphene, two-dimensional atomic layer of carbon atoms, is also well known as PL quenchers for electronic and vibrational excitation. In this study, we observed SERS of single layer graphene on or under monolayer of Au nanoparticles (NPs). Single layer graphene is grown by chemical vapor deposition and transferred onto or under the monolayer of Au NPs by using PMMA transfer method. Monolayer of Au NPs prepared using Langmuir-Blodgett method on or under graphene surface provides closed and well-packed monolayer of Au NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy (WItec, 532 nm) were performed in order to confirm effects of Au NPs on enhanced Raman spectrum. Highly enhanced Raman signal of graphene by Au NPs were observed due to many hot-spots at gap of closed well-packed Au NPs. The results showed that single layer graphene provides larger SERS effects compared to multilayer graphene and the enhancement of the G band was larger than that of 2D band. Moreover, we confirm the appearance of D band in this study that is not clear in normal Raman spectrum. In our study, D band appearance is ascribed to the SERS effect resulted from defects induced graphene on Au NPs. Monolayer film of Au NPs under the graphene provided more highly enhanced graphene Raman signal compared to that on the graphene. The Au NPs-graphene SERS substrate can be possibly applied to biochemical sensing applications requiring highly sensitive and selective assays.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.441-446
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• 2014

In this study, we synthesize silica-core gold-satellite nanoparticles (SGNPs) for the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based sensing applications. They consist of gold satellite nanoparticles (AuNPs) fixed on the silica core nanoparticles, which sizes of AuNPs can be tunned by varying the amount of reactants (growth solution and reducing agent). Their surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties were characterized by using UV-vis spectroscopy, showing that the growth of AuNPs on silica cores leads to the light absorption in the longer wavelength region. Furthermore, the size increase of AuNPs exhibited the dramatic change in SERS activity due to the formation of hot spots. The optimized SGNPs showing enhancement factor ${\sim}3.8{\times}10^6$ exhibited a detection limit of rhodamine 6G (R6G) as low as $10^{-8}M$. These findings suggest the importance of size control of SGNPs and their SPR properties to develop highly efficient SERS sensors.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.267-272
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• 2021

In this study, Ag was deposited to investigate its applicability as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate after forming a grass-type black silicon structure through maskless reactive ion etching. Grass-structured black silicon with heights of 2 - 7 ㎛ was formed at radio-frequency (RF) power of 150 - 170 W. The process pressure was 250 mTorr, the O₂/SF₆ gas ratio was 15/37.5, and the processing time was 10 - 20 min. When the processing time was increased by more than 20 min, the self-masking of Si_xO_yF_z did not occur, and the black silicon structure was therefore not formed. Raman response characteristics were measured based on the Ag thickness deposited on a black silicon substrate. As the Ag thickness increased, the characteristic peak intensity increased. When the Ag thickness deposited on the black silicon substrate increased from 40 to 80 nm, the Raman response intensity at a Raman wavelength of 1507 / cm increased from 8.2 × 10³ to 25 × 10³ cps. When the Ag thickness was 150 nm, the increase declined to 30 × 10³ cps and showed a saturation tendency. When the RF power increased from 150 to 170 W, the response intensity at a 1507/cm Raman wavelength slightly increased from 30 × 10³ to 33 × 10³ cps. However, when the RF power was 200 W, the Raman response intensity decreased significantly to 6.2 × 10³ cps.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.725-730
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• 2014

The effect the diameter of silver nanorod arrays whose distance between the nanorods was uniform at 65 nm have on Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has been studied by varying the diameter from 28 to 51 nm. Nanorod length was fixed at approximately 62 nm, which is the optimum length for SERS by excitation with a 632.8 nm laser line. The transverse and longitudinal modes of the surface plasmon of these silver nanorods were near 400 and 630 nm, respectively. The extinction of the longitudinal mode increased with increasing nanorod diameter, while the transverse mode did not change significantly. High-quality SERS spectra of p-aminothiophenol and benzenethiol adsorbed on the tips of the silver nanorods were observed by excitation with a 632.8 nm laser line. The SERS enhancement increased with increasing nanorod diameter. We concluded that the SERS enhancement increases when the diameter of silver nanorods is increased mainly by increasing the excitation efficiency of the longitudinal mode. The enhancement factor for the silver nanorods with a 51 nm diameter was approximately $2{\times}10^7$.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.2942-2946
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• 2013

Nanostructured Ag thin films could be facilely prepared by soaking glass substrates in ethanolic solutions containing $Ag_2O$ powders at an elevated temperature. The formation of zero-valent Ag was corroborated using X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The deposition of Ag onto a glass substrate was readily controlled simply by changing the reaction time. Due to the aggregated structures of Ag, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of benzenethiol could be clearly identified using the Ag-coated glass. The enhancement factor at 514.5 nm excitation estimated using benzenethiol reached $1.0{\times}10^5$ while the detection limit of rhodamine 6G was found to be as low as $1.0{\times}10^{-13}$ M. Since this one-pot fabrication method is eco-friendly and is suitable for the mass production of diverse Ag films, it is expected to play a significant role in the development of surface plasmon-based analytical devices.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.417-426
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• 2022

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the chemicals used in monomer epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method is precise for identifying biological materials and chemicals at considerably low concentrations. In the present article, the substrates coated with gold nanoparticles have been studied to identify BPA and control the diseases caused by this chemical. Gold nanoparticles were made by a simple chemical method and by applying gold salt and trisodium citrate dihydrate reductant and were coated on glass substrates by a spin-coat approach. Finally, using these SERS substrates as plasmonic sensors and Raman spectroscopy, the Raman signal enhancement of molecular vibrations of BPA was investigated. Then, the molecular vibrations of BPA in some consumer goods were identified by applying SERS substrates as plasmonic sensors and Raman spectroscopy. The fabricated gold nanoparticles are spherical and quasi-spherical nanoparticles that confirm the formation of gold nanoparticles by observing the plasmon resonance peak at 517 nm. Active SERS substrates have been coated with nanoparticles, which improve the Raman signal. The enhancement of the Raman signal is due to the resonance of the surface plasmons of the nanoparticles. Active SERS substrates, gold nanoparticles deposited on a glass substrate, were fabricated for the detection of BPA; a detection limit of 10-9 M and a relative standard deviation (RSD) equal to 4.17% were obtained for ten repeated measurements in the concentration of 10-9 M. Hence, the Raman results indicate that the active SERS substrates, gold nanoparticles for the detection of BPA along with the developed methods, show promising results for SERS-based studies and can lead to the development of microsensors. In Raman spectroscopy, SERS active substrate coated with gold nanoparticles are of interest, which is larger than gold particles due to the resonance of the surface plasmons of gold nanoparticles and the scattering of light from gold particles since the Raman signal amplifies the molecular vibrations of BPA. By decreasing the concentration of BPA deposited on the active SERS substrates, the Raman signal is also weakened due to the reduction of molecular vibrations. By increasing the surface roughness of the active SERS substrates, the Raman signal can be enhanced due to increased light scattering from rough centers, which are the same as the larger particles created throughout the deposition by the spin-coat method, and as a result, they enhance the signal by increasing the scattering of light. Then, the molecular vibrations of BPA were identified in some consumer goods by SERS substrates as plasmonic sensors and Raman spectroscopy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.113.1-113.1
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• 2014

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has long been projected as a powerful analytical technique for chemical and biological sensing applications. Pairing with portable Raman spectrometers makes the technique extremely appealing as real-time sensors for field application. However, the lack of reliable, uniform, low cost and ease-of-use SERS enhancement structures has prevented the wide adoption of this technique for general applications. We have discovered a novel hybrid structure based on the high-density and uniform arrays of gold nanofingers over a large surface area for SERS applications. The nanofingers are flexible and their tips can be brought together to trap molecules to mimic the biological system. We report here a rapid, simple, low-cost, and sensitive method of detecting trace level of food contaminants by using nanofinger chips based on portable SERS technique. We also present here the characterization of surface reaction of target molecules with our gold nanofinger substrates and the effect of nanofinger closing towards SERS performance. This new type of nano-structures can potentially revolutionize the medical and biologic research by providing a novel way to capture, localize, manipulate, and interrogate biological molecules with unprecedented capabilities.