Ultraviolet Surface-Enhanced Rama Scattering for Detection Applications

Surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering with UV excitation has the potential advantage of combining surface and molecular-resonance enhancements for a wide variety of analytes of interest. Nanostructured surfaces of Pd and Pt were formed by electroless deposition on germanium substrates. Ultrathin layers of Al were made by coating thick layers of Al on a microscope slide and partially dissolving them with hydrochloric acid. The substrates were assessed for their ability to enhance the Raman cross sections under UV excitation.
The original document contains color images. This work was performed while Erik D. Emmons held a National Research Council Research Associateship Award at U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center.