Vertically Aligned Ag Nanostructure and Its Application In SERS

Surface-enhanced Ramen scattering (SERS) has intrigued considerable interest due to its extremely high sensitivity which enables the detection of single molecule. Silver or gold-based substrates have been widely applied in this area. However, the synthesis of such “hot spots” usually involves complicated procedures, harsh experimental conditions, or toxic chemicals. In this work, surface-engineered silver nanostructure with uniform and controllable morphology is prepared by a facile and green route, which is also applicable in large-scale production. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction are used to characterize the sample. Furthermore, SERS of crystal violet on this surface-engineered silver substrate is also demonstrated.