Focusing Plasmons in Nanoslits for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering

C Chen, JA Hutchison, P Van Dorpe, R Kox… - Small, 2009 - Wiley Online Library
Small, 2009Wiley Online Library
The focusing of plasmons to obtain a strong and localized electromagnetic‐field
enhancement for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is increasing the interest in
using plasmonic devices as molecular sensors. In this Full Paper, we report the successful
fabrication and demonstration of a solid‐state plasmonic nanoslit–cavity device equipped
with nanoantennas on a freestanding thin silicon membrane as a substrate for SERS.
Numerical calculations predict a strong and spatially localized enhancement of the optical …
Abstract
The focusing of plasmons to obtain a strong and localized electromagnetic‐field enhancement for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is increasing the interest in using plasmonic devices as molecular sensors. In this Full Paper, we report the successful fabrication and demonstration of a solid‐state plasmonic nanoslit–cavity device equipped with nanoantennas on a freestanding thin silicon membrane as a substrate for SERS. Numerical calculations predict a strong and spatially localized enhancement of the optical field in the nanoslit (6 nm in width) upon irradiation. The predicted enhancement factor of SERS was 5.3 × 105, localized in an area of just 6 × 1.5 nm2. Raman spectroscopy and imaging confirm an enhancement factor of ≈106 for SERS from molecules chemisorbed at the nanoslit, and demonstrate the electromagnetic‐field‐enhancing function of the plasmonic nanoantennas. The freestanding membrane is open on both sides of the nanoslit, offering the potential for through‐slit molecular translocation studies, and opening bright new perspectives for SERS applications in real‐time (bio)chemical analysis.
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