Homogeneous large-scale crystalline nanoparticle-covered substrate with high SERS performance
Résumé
This article details the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance of plasmonic
substrates fabricated by a physical metal evaporation technique that uses no precursor or
intermediate coating. We outline a cost-effective nanofabrication protocol that uses common
laboratory equipment to produce homogeneously covered crystalline nanoparticle substrates.
Our fabrication yields a homogeneous SERS response over the whole surface. The platform is
tested with methylene blue diluted at various concentrations to estimate the sensitivity,
homogeneity, and reproducibility of the process. The capacity of the substrates is also confirmed
with spectroscopic investigations of human microsomal cytochrome b5.