ePrints

Gold surface with gold nitride-a surface enhanced Raman scattering active substrate

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Abel Brieva, Luís Alves, Satheesh Krishnamurthy, Professor Lidija Siller

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

The nitration of gold surfaces is a nonpolluting method, which can lead to large scale production of substrates with remarkable properties and applications. We present a topographical study of the nanoscale structure of the gold nitride surfaces produced by radio frequency (rf) nitrogen plasma etching of thin gold films. Atomic force microscopy images taken after rf etching reveal the striking appearance of the cluster assembly with large clusters surrounded by small clusters (7.9 +/- 1.4 and 2.3 +/- 0.9 nm, respectively) appearing to exhibit an attractive interaction. We discuss the possible mechanism for this attraction based on a colloid model by Messina [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 872 (2000)]. This surface exhibits a notable surface enhanced Raman scattering effect demonstrated with L-alanine and rhodamine-6G. The significance of this work is that we found that this SERS active gold nitride surface can be prepared in just one step: by nitrogen plasma etching a thin gold film. Until now most SERS active gold cluster covered surfaces have been prepared in several steps very often requiring complex lithography.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Brieva AC, Alves L, Krishnamurthy S, Siller L

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Applied Physics

Year: 2009

Volume: 105

Issue: 5

ISSN (print): 0021-8979

ISSN (electronic): 1089-7550

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3082871

DOI: 10.1063/1.3082871

Altmetrics

Funding

Share