A Simple Chemical Method for the Preparation of Silver Surfaces for Efficient SERS

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 18; no. 8; pp. 2959 - 2961
• Main Authors: Saito, Y, Wang, J. J, Smith, D. A, Batchelder, D. N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 16-04-2002
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la011554y

The relatively well-known mirror reaction method of forming silver films has been used to produce substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The simple and convenient method produces a thin metal film on silicon that shows an order of magnitude superior surface enhancement properties when compared to a conventional SERS substrate made by vacuum evaporation. Of particular interest is that the method is ideal for coating atomic force microscope probes for apertureless scanning near-field spectroscopy which is usually made difficult by the damage caused by evaporative coating and annealing.