Open AccessLaser-nanostructured Ag films as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Author(s) -
S. J. Henley,
J. David Carey,
S. Ravi P. Silva
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
applied physics letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 442
eISSN - 1077-3118
pISSN - 0003-6951
DOI - 10.1063/1.2178387
Subject(s) - materials science , raman spectroscopy , fluence , annealing (glass) , thin film , amorphous solid , laser , amorphous carbon , irradiation , carbon film , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , optics , composite material , crystallography , chemistry , physics , chromatography , nuclear physics
Pulsed-laser (248 nm) irradiation of Ag thin films was employed to produce nanostructured AgSi O2 substrates. By tailoring the laser fluence, it was possible to controllably adjust the mean diameter of the resultant near-spherical Ag droplets. Thin films of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) were subsequently deposited onto the nanostructured substrates. Visible Raman measurements were performed on the ta-C films, where it was observed that the intensity of the Raman signal was increased by nearly two orders of magnitude, when compared with ta-C films grown on nonstructured substrates. The use of laser annealing as a method of preparing substrates, at low macroscopic temperatures, for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy on subnanometer-thick films is discussed. © 2006 American Institute of Physics
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