Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)

university wafer substrates

What Wafers Are Used for SERS?

A researcher from a large university requested a quote for the following:

We are interested in ITO glass. Can you please send me some of your available glass specifications. In addition, do you also provide other kind of slides such as quartz, CaF2, MaF2, etc.? In fact we want to use these glass to fabricate SERS substrate so we have to have a substrate with min background and Raman active. Is it possible to have the ITO glass on quartz or Fused Silica Glass?

Reference #196360 for specs and pricing. Or, buy online and save!

Thin Silicon Used for Raman Spectroscopy Analysis

Researcher:

I would like a thin silicon wafer that has a thickness of around 1 um to deposit on another wafer to make a 1 um deep well for Raman spectroscopy analysis. Rectangular shape is preferred; the smaller the wafer's size, the better since I have to put it on another wafer. I'm curious about the smallest thickness that is available.

Reference #268359 for specs and pricing.

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What is the role of metal nanoparticles in SERS?

In Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), metal nanoparticles, such as gold or silver, are used to enhance the Raman scattering signal of molecules adsorbed on their surface. The enhancement occurs due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the metal nanoparticles, which concentrates the electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the nanoparticle surface, thereby increasing the Raman scattering cross-section of the adsorbed molecules. This results in a significant increase in the intensity of the Raman signal, making it possible to detect even very small amounts of analyte molecules.

What Are SERS Applications?

SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering) has a wide range of applications in various fields, including:

  1. Chemical and Biological Sensing: SERS can be used for the detection of chemical and biological molecules, including toxins, drugs, proteins, and DNA. It is widely used in medical diagnostics, food and water quality monitoring, and environmental sensing.

  2. Material Science: SERS is a useful tool for the characterization of materials, including polymers, nanoparticles, and thin films. It can be used to study the surface chemistry and properties of these materials.

  3. Forensic Science: SERS can be used for the analysis of trace evidence, including drugs, explosives, and gunshot residue.

  4. Imaging: SERS can be used for imaging applications, including biological imaging, chemical imaging, and surface imaging.

  5. Catalysis: SERS can be used to study the properties of catalysts, including their surface chemistry and reactivity.

  6. Nanotechnology: SERS is a useful tool for the fabrication and characterization of nanomaterials, including nanosensors and nanodevices.

Overall, SERS is a versatile analytical technique with a wide range of applications in various fields, and it has the potential to revolutionize the way we detect and analyze molecules.

What is the Difference Between SERS vs Raman?

SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering) and Raman spectroscopy are both techniques used to analyze molecular vibrations in a sample, but they differ in the sensitivity and intensity of the Raman signal they generate.

Raman spectroscopy relies on the inelastic scattering of light by a molecule, where a photon of light interacts with the molecule and changes its energy state. The scattered light contains information about the vibrational modes of the molecule, which can be used to identify and characterize it.

SERS, on the other hand, enhances the Raman signal of a molecule by several orders of magnitude by adsorbing the molecule onto a roughened metallic surface. The metallic surface acts as a "nanoantenna," amplifying the Raman signal of the molecule and increasing its sensitivity and selectivity.

The main difference between SERS and Raman spectroscopy is therefore the sensitivity and intensity of the Raman signal they generate. SERS is much more sensitive than Raman spectroscopy, allowing the detection of molecules at much lower concentrations. SERS is also more selective than Raman spectroscopy, as the metallic surface enhances the Raman signal of specific molecules while suppressing the background signal.

Overall, while both techniques are based on the same principles of Raman scattering, SERS provides a more powerful and versatile tool for molecular analysis.

What are SERS Nanoparticles?

SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering) nanoparticles are nanoparticles that are designed to enhance the Raman signal of molecules by adsorbing them onto their surface. These nanoparticles are usually made of metals such as silver or gold, which are known to exhibit strong plasmonic properties that can amplify the Raman signal of nearby molecules.

SERS nanoparticles can be synthesized in various shapes and sizes, depending on the application. For example, nanospheres, nanorods, and nanostars are commonly used SERS nanoparticles. These nanoparticles can be functionalized with specific molecules or antibodies to enable the detection of target analytes, making them useful for biomedical sensing applications.

The plasmonic properties of SERS nanoparticles can be tuned by controlling their size, shape, and surface chemistry, enabling the optimization of their SERS activity. The use of SERS nanoparticles in molecular sensing has gained popularity in recent years due to their high sensitivity and specificity, as well as their potential for multiplexed detection of multiple analytes in a single sample.

Overall, SERS nanoparticles represent a powerful tool for molecular sensing and analysis, with applications in various fields such as biomedicine, environmental monitoring, and materials science.

What is Virtual State in Raman Spectroscopy?

In Raman spectroscopy, a virtual state is a temporary state that is formed during the scattering process of a photon by a molecule. When a photon interacts with a molecule, it can temporarily excite the molecule to a virtual state, which is an energy state that is not a real, stable energy level of the molecule. This virtual state is very short-lived and quickly decays back to the ground state of the molecule by emitting a photon.

In Raman spectroscopy, the energy difference between the virtual state and the ground state of the molecule is measured, and this energy difference is related to the vibrational frequencies of the molecule. The virtual state is important because it allows for the scattering of photons with energies lower than the energy of the molecular vibration being probed. This is because the photon can be temporarily excited to the virtual state, allowing it to scatter from the molecule at a higher energy and thus probe the vibrational modes of the molecule.

Overall, virtual states play an important role in Raman spectroscopy as they enable the measurement of vibrational frequencies of molecules that would not be observable with other techniques.

What is a SERS Substrate?

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to detect and identify molecules at very low concentrations. It is based on the Raman effect, which is the inelastic scattering of light by vibrational modes in a molecule. In SERS, the Raman scattering is enhanced by a factor of up to 1011 or more due to the presence of a nanostructured substrate, such as a thin film of gold or silver, that amplifies the Raman signal.

The SERS substrate is typically made of a metal or a metal oxide and is characterized by a rough or nanostructured surface. The roughness or nanostructure of the substrate creates a large number of hot spots, which are regions where the electric field is highly concentrated. When a molecule is placed in close proximity to these hot spots, the Raman scattering is greatly enhanced, allowing for the detection of even trace amounts of the molecule.

SERS has a wide range of applications, including the detection and identification of contaminants, the analysis of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, and the study of biological and environmental samples. It is particularly useful for the analysis of complex mixtures, as it can distinguish between different molecules and provide information about their molecular structure and chemical environment.

What Substrates / Wafers are Used for Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy?

Researchers have used the following silicon wafer specification as a Substrate to grow metal nanostructures to be used in Surface Enhanced Raman Sepectrscopy Devices (SERS)

Item #2069 - 100mm P-Type Boron Doped (100) 500um SSP Test Grade with 500nm of Thermal Oxide

Reference #ONL42096 with any questions.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates can be made of a variety of materials, including metals, metal oxides, and semiconductors. The most commonly used SERS substrates are made of metals, such as gold, silver, and copper, due to their high electrical conductivity and ability to form a rough or nanostructured surface. These substrates can be prepared by a variety of methods, including electrodeposition, sputtering, and nanofabrication.

Other commonly used SERS substrates include metal oxides, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and silicon dioxide, which can be prepared by various methods, including chemical vapor deposition and sol-gel synthesis. Semiconductor SERS substrates, such as silicon and gallium arsenide, can also be used, but they are less commonly used due to their lower Raman enhancement factor.

In addition to the material of the substrate, the size and shape of the substrate also play a role in the performance of the SERS system. For example, SERS substrates with a rough or highly irregular surface tend to have a higher Raman enhancement factor than those with a smoother surface. Similarly, SERS substrates with a larger surface area may exhibit a higher Raman enhancement factor than those with a smaller surface area.

What Silicon Wafer Specs are Used for Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)

Silicon is a semiconductor material that has been used as a substrate for Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). SERS is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to detect and identify molecules at very low concentrations. It is based on the Raman effect, which is the inelastic scattering of light by vibrational modes in a molecule. In SERS, the Raman scattering is enhanced by a factor of up to 1011 or more due to the presence of a nanostructured substrate, such as a thin film of gold or silver, that amplifies the Raman signal.

What are the Advantages Does Silicon Have as a SERS Substrate?

Silicon has several advantages as a substrate for SERS. It is a widely available and inexpensive material, and it is compatible with many fabrication techniques. Silicon is also biocompatible, making it suitable for the analysis of biological samples. However, silicon has a relatively low Raman enhancement factor compared to other materials, such as gold and silver, and it is not as widely used as a SERS substrate.

Despite these limitations, silicon has been used in the development of SERS-based sensors and other applications. For example, silicon has been used as a substrate for the development of SERS-based biosensors, which can be used to detect and identify biomolecules in real-time. Silicon has also been used in the development of SERS-based chemical sensors, which can be used to detect and identify trace contaminants in environmental and industrial samples.

A Minireview of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a technique that uses the effects of nanostructures on the scattering of molecules. The nanostructures, such as plasmonic-magnetic silica nanotubes, can be placed on the surface of a solid and are then used to enhance the intensity of the Raman spectra of the molecule.

sers explained

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)

Background

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a spectroscopic technique used to detect biomolecules. It has become a popular technique for biomedical applications over the past four decades. The present minireview reviews recent developments in SERS and discusses the strategies to realize its performance.

The fundamental mechanism of SERS is the interaction of an analyte molecule with the surface of a metallic nanoscale. During this process, the intensity of the Raman scattering signal is determined by the interaction between the dipole moment of the analyte molecule and the incoming radiation.

SERS can be used in many areas of chemistry, including biochemistry, pharmacology, and medicine. In biomedicine, it has been used to detect the presence of protein and ligand complexes. However, the lack of a high scattering cross section has limited its application. Consequently, researchers have devoted a great deal of effort to developing an ideal substrate for SERS.

To make a suitable SERS substrate, researchers have developed uniform metal nanostructure arrays. These nanostructures provide higher uniformity and reproducibility.

There are a variety of different nanostructures that have been studied in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Flexible substrates and rigid substrates are used to achieve this technique. Some researchers have used graphene as an active substrate. This material produces a hot surface with a relatively flat topography for the enhancement of Raman spectroscopy.

Graphene-mediated SERS substrates can be obtained through a mechanical exfoliation of graphene pieces. These pieces are then deposited to the top of the molecules. Depending on the size of the pieces, a characteristic plasmon will be produced. A local electromagnetic field will be created along the plasmon.

A significant improvement in the sensitivity of SERS has been achieved with the use of notch filters. Notch filters have a relatively narrow spectral range and can therefore improve the resolution of the spectrometer.

Besides, a wide-field structured illumination method has been used to overcome the long imaging times associated with confocal Raman microscopy. Other methods include echelle gratings, which offer high resolution.

Another important aspect of Raman spectroscopy is its ability to identify structural and functional groups. In addition, it can be used to detect unwanted by-products and detect structural damage. Therefore, this technique has a number of applications in chemistry, biology, and planetary exploration.

Applications

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a spectroscopic technique that provides special chemical fingerprints of biological samples. This technique is commonly used in medical investigations, life science, and diagnostics. The ability to analyze single molecules makes surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy an attractive analytical tool.

SERS is an emerging technique that is becoming increasingly popular for applications in medical and biochemical research. Compared to other methods of spectroscopy, such as infrared (IR) spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman specroscopy is highly sensitive and can detect small quantities of biological substances. It can also provide a detailed analysis of the ion concentration and redox potential in cells.

To perform the technique, a solution with a known concentration is dipped into the substrate. The sample is then let dry. Detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is one of the important applications of surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. These compounds have been identified as carcinogenic and mutagenic.

Various techniques have been developed for constructing SERS-based biosensors. These include direct and indirect techniques. However, the reproducibility of SERS substrates needs to be improved before commercialization.

One of the most promising applications of surface-enhanced Raman scattering is the detection of pollutants. The method can be used to examine bacteria, viruses, and pathological markers on membranes.

In addition, it can be used for analyzing ion concentration, redox potential, and PH changes in phosphate-buffered saline. Some of the key pitfalls in this field include avoiding interference from impurities and other components.

Advances in SERS-based biosensor design and construction have contributed to a significant advance in biological sensing applications. The primary shape, material type, and NP type are among the critical factors that determine the feasibility of this method.

One technique for constructing a SERS substrate is to deposit a layer of graphene on the surface of a metal nanostructure. In this case, the molecules interact with the metal's surface plasmons. When light is irradiated to the surface, the metal creates a strong electric field.

Using this method, the SERS signal can be amplified up to 1010. The increase in intensity of the polarized light can be beneficial for detecting biological samples.

Graphene as an analyte

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful technique for sensing applications. It has high sensitivity and specificity, which makes it a useful tool in environmental science. The method has recently received much attention.

SERS can be used to detect molecules with a variety of properties. One of the most important features is its sensitivity to low concentrations. However, the level of detection can vary based on a number of factors. This uncertainty can interfere with quantitative analysis of a molecule. For example, a single molecule may not be detected if there are a large amount of other molecules present. Alternatively, a mixture of a molecule and a few others can be detected by SERS.

Graphene has several properties that make it an attractive analyte for SERS. First, graphene is a two-dimensional crystalline material that is uniform in its electronic properties. These properties enable it to provide an atomically flat surface for adsorption of molecules. Second, graphene is a transparent material that is resistant to photo-induced damage. Third, graphene can be doped with nitrogen, which can enhance its properties.

Graphene also provides an excellent platform for SERS. Its chemical stability and good mechanical and physical properties make it ideal for SERS-based molecular fingerprinting. In addition, the graphene's surface properties can be easily altered, making it possible to selectively adsorb analytes.

Various 2D materials are currently being explored as potential analytes for SERS. Although graphene offers a superior nanoplatform, other materials are also available with more extensive optical properties. Therefore, future directions should focus on exploring other 2D materials as analytes for SERS.

Several researchers have investigated the possibility of using graphene as an analyte for SERS. Some of these studies have demonstrated label-free detection of HIV DNA and cancer cells. Others have focused on detecting nonresonant molecules.

The spectral features of graphene include the G band, which is a first-order Raman scattering process. Additionally, the D band is a second-order Raman mode. A defect active D band is also observed in defective graphene. Compared to the G' band, the defect active D band is more intense.

G-SERS tapes for real-time analysis

A rapid and accurate method to analyse SERS substrates using a new adaptable CNN (Complex Network) technique has been developed. This approach has successfully demonstrated the ability to accurately identify and differentiate SERS-active structures from non-SERS structures in real-time, and can be used to test and compare different SERS substrates.

To achieve this, a pre-trained CNN was used to generate a model based on a large dataset of 4200 optical images. The output of the model was used to predict the SERS active structures on the substrates. These results show that the model achieves 90% accuracy in predicting the SERS-active structures.

Next, a computational algorithm was used to analyze the inputted optical images. The resulting heatmap is overlaid on the optical image to facilitate the acquisition of SERS spectral measurements. It also enables the identification of regions of high SERS activity.

A novel tailored CNN approach is also used to predict the SERS-active structures on the substrates. This approach is validated with uniquely EHD patterned substrates.

Finally, a full script run was performed to demonstrate the accuracy of the method. During this run, 200,000 samples were divided into 100,000/100,000 groups for each SERS class. Approximately 40% of the measurements showed SERS signals that were acceptable.

In addition to the accuracy of the method, the speed of the imaging system was also improved. This can be attributed to improvements in the data processing system and the improved SERS tag signal.

The total Raman intensity of P-GERTs is significantly higher than that of DNA-bridged SERS tags. Furthermore, the Raman signal increases after external decoration of 4-NBT molecules.

The pillar/non-pillar CNN model was used to identify the structures on the SERS-active pillars. This model allows for grad-CAMs of each SERS-active pillar to be generated. Using this model, the optimum SERS active structures are then classified in real-time. Moreover, the entire process is optimized to improve the reproducibility of the analysis.

This novel approach offers a practical solution for overcoming the challenges faced by conventional approaches. By combining the use of a tailored CNN with an advanced machine learning approach, this novel system is capable of achieving high accuracy in identifying SERS-active structures.

What is SERS Detection?

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to detect and identify molecules at very low concentrations. It is based on the Raman effect, which is the inelastic scattering of light by vibrational modes in a molecule. In SERS, the Raman scattering is enhanced by a factor of up to 1011 or more due to the presence of a nanostructured substrate, such as a thin film of gold or silver, that amplifies the Raman signal.

SERS detection involves the use of a SERS substrate, typically made of a metal or metal oxide, to amplify the Raman signal of a molecule. The SERS substrate is prepared with a rough or nanostructured surface, which creates a large number of hot spots where the electric field is highly concentrated. When a molecule is placed in close proximity to these hot spots, the Raman scattering is greatly enhanced, allowing for the detection of even trace amounts of the molecule.

SERS detection is sensitive and specific, and it can be used to distinguish between different molecules and provide information about their molecular structure and chemical environment. It has a wide range of applications, including the detection and identification of contaminants, the analysis of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, and the study of biological and environmental samples. SERS is particularly useful for the analysis of complex mixtures, as it can distinguish between different molecules and provide information about their molecular structure and chemical environment.

What is SERS Detection Applications?

SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering) detection is a powerful analytical technique used in chemistry and material science to identify and characterize molecules based on their vibrational modes.

In SERS detection, the sample molecule is adsorbed onto a roughened metallic surface, usually made of silver or gold. The incident light is then scattered by the metal surface, which amplifies the Raman signal from the molecule by several orders of magnitude. This enhanced signal allows for the detection and identification of molecules at very low concentrations, making SERS detection a highly sensitive and selective technique for molecular sensing.

SERS detection has a wide range of applications, including biomedical research, environmental monitoring, and forensic science. It has been used to identify trace amounts of contaminants in food and water, to detect cancer biomarkers in biological fluids, and to analyze pigments and dyes in historical artifacts.