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Demonstrating photoluminescence from Au is electronic inelastic light scattering of a plasmonic metal: the origin of SERS backgrounds.


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Authors

Hugall, James T 
Baumberg, Jeremy J 

Abstract

Temperature-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is used to investigate the photoluminescence and background continuum always present in SERS but whose origin remains controversial. Both the Stokes and anti-Stokes background is found to be dominated by inelastic light scattering (ILS) from the electrons in the noble metal nanostructures supporting the plasmon modes. The anti-Stokes background is highly temperature dependent and is shown to be related to the thermal occupation of electronic states within the metal via a simple model. This suggests new routes to enhance SERS sensitivities, as well as providing ubiquitous and calibrated real-time temperature measurements of nanostructures.

Description

Keywords

SERS background, electronic SERS, inelastic scattering, metal photoluminescence, plasmonics, Gold, Light, Luminescent Measurements, Materials Testing, Metal Nanoparticles, Scattering, Radiation, Spectrum Analysis, Raman, Surface Plasmon Resonance, Surface Properties

Journal Title

Nano Lett

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1530-6984
1530-6992

Volume Title

15

Publisher

American Chemical Society (ACS)
Sponsorship
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060649/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/H007024/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K028510/1)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/L027151/1)
European Research Council (320503)
The authors would like to thank EPSRC (EP/K028510/1, EP/ G060649/1, EP/H007024/1, EP/L027151/1), ERC LINASS 320503, EU CUBiHOLE, and Renishaw Diagnostics Ltd. for funding and samples.