Assembly nanoparticle arrays decorated with ultrathin AAO nanopores for highly sensitive SERS substrate

Abstract

Abstract Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is widely employed because it offers quick, microscopic, and traceless detection. This study used high-voltage and low-voltage ultrasonic oscillation to embed precious metal nanoparticles into the pores of chemically modified ultra-thin anodic alumina (AAO) films, resulting in a highly sensitive three-dimensional SERS substrate. We improve the substrate's stability and Raman activity by adjusting the particle alloy ratio. For the substrate in this alloy ratio, the Raman signal of probe molecules (Rh6G) adsorbed on the substrate surface is enhanced. the enhancement factor (EF) was as high as 1.40×107, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of 10.6%, and the concentration of Rh6G shows a linear relationship with Raman intensity, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.961. In addition, we evaluated the substrate's detection effect on thiram molecules, surprisingly, the catalytic effect of the substrate on PATP molecules was discovered during this process. It has been proven that this structure has both good plasmon photocatalytic properties and good practicality and high sensitivity as a Raman enhanced substrate.