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Universal Fabrication of Highly Efficient Plasmonic Thin‐Films for Label‐Free SERS Detection
Author(s) -
Gullace Sara,
MontesGarcía Verónica,
Martín Victor,
Larios David,
Girelli Consolaro Valentina,
Obelleiro Fernando,
Calogero Giuseppe,
Casalini Stefano,
Samorì Paolo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.202100755
Subject(s) - materials science , plasmon , nanotechnology , raman scattering , graphene , nanoparticle , substrate (aquarium) , fabrication , plasmonic nanoparticles , thin film , raman spectroscopy , optoelectronics , medicine , oceanography , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , geology , optics
The development of novel, highly efficient, reliable, and robust surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates containing a large number of hot spots with programmed size, geometry, and density is extremely interesting since it allows the sensing of numerous (bio‐)chemical species. Herein, an extremely reliable, easy to fabricate, and label‐free SERS sensing platform based on metal nanoparticles (NPs) thin‐film is developed by the layer‐by‐layer growth mediated by polyelectrolytes. A systematic study of the effect of NP composition and size, as well as the number of deposition steps on the substrate's performance, is accomplished by monitoring the SERS enhancement of 1‐naphtalenethiol (532 nm excitation). Distinct evidence of the key role played by the interlayer (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) or PDDA‐functionalized graphene oxide (GO@PDDA)) on the overall SERS efficiency of the plasmonic platforms is provided, revealing in the latter the formation of more uniform hot spots by regulating the interparticle distances to 5 ± 1 nm. The SERS platform efficiency is demonstrated via its high analytical enhancement factor (≈10 6 ) and the detection of a prototypical substance(tamoxifen), both in Milli‐Q water and in a real matrix, viz. tap water, opening perspectives towards the use of plasmonic platforms for future high‐performance sensing applications.