Silicon nanowires coated with silver nanostructures as ultrasensitive interfaces for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2009 Jul;1(7):1396-403. doi: 10.1021/am900087s.

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were chemically deposited on silicon nanowires (SiNWs), prepared using the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism, using an in situ electroless metal deposition technique. The resulting SiNWs/Ag NPs composite interfaces showed large Raman scattering enhancement for rhodamine 6G (R6G) with a detection limit of 10(-14) M and an enhancement factor of 2.3 x 10(8). This large enhancement factor was attributed to the presence of "hot" spots on the SiNWs/Ag NPs substrate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Materials Testing
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / methods
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanotechnology / methods
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Rhodamines / chemistry
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman / methods*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Oxides
  • Rhodamines
  • rhodamine 6G
  • Silver
  • Silicon