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Comparative Analysis of Raman Signal Amplifying Effectiveness of Silver Nanostructures with Different Morphology
2022, Yakimchuk, Dzmitry V., Khubezhov, Soslan A., Prigodich, Uladzislau V., Tishkevich, Daria I., Trukhanov, Sergei V., Trukhanov, Alex V., Sivakov, Vladimir, Kaniukov, Egor Y.
To increase the attractiveness of the practical application of molecular sensing methods, the experimental search for the optimal shape of silver nanostructures allowing to increase the Raman cross section by several orders of magnitude is of great interest. This paper presents a detailed study of spatially separated plasmon-active silver nanostructures grown in SiO2/Si template pores with crystallite, dendrite, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures shapes. Nile blue and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole were chosen as the model analytes for comparative evaluation of the Raman signal amplification efficiency using these structures. It was discussed the features of the structures for the enhancement of Raman intensity. Finally, we showed that silver crystals, dendrites, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures in SiO2/Si template could be used as the relevant materials for Raman signal amplification, but with different efficiency.
Morphology and Microstructure Evolution of Gold Nanostructures in the Limited Volume Porous Matrices
2020, Yakimchuk, Dzmitry V., Bundyukova, Victoria D., Ustarroz, Jon, Terryn, Herman, Baert, Kitty, Kozlovskiy, Artem L., Zdorovets, Maxim V., Khubezhov, Soslan A., Trukhanov, Alex V., Trukhanov, Sergei V., Panina, Larissa V., Arzumanyan, Grigory M., Mamatkulov, Kahramon Z., Tishkevich, Daria I., Kaniukov, Egor Y., Sivakov, Vladimir
The modern development of nanotechnology requires the discovery of simple approaches that ensure the controlled formation of functional nanostructures with a predetermined morphology. One of the simplest approaches is the self-assembly of nanostructures. The widespread implementation of self-assembly is limited by the complexity of controlled processes in a large volume where, due to the temperature, ion concentration, and other thermodynamics factors, local changes in diffusion-limited processes may occur, leading to unexpected nanostructure growth. The easiest ways to control the diffusion-limited processes are spatial limitation and localized growth of nanostructures in a porous matrix. In this paper, we propose to apply the method of controlled self-assembly of gold nanostructures in a limited pore volume of a silicon oxide matrix with submicron pore sizes. A detailed study of achieved gold nanostructures' morphology, microstructure, and surface composition at different formation stages is carried out to understand the peculiarities of realized nanostructures. Based on the obtained results, a mechanism for the growth of gold nanostructures in a limited volume, which can be used for the controlled formation of nanostructures with a predetermined geometry and composition, has been proposed. The results observed in the present study can be useful for the design of plasmonic-active surfaces for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy-based detection of ultra-low concentration of different chemical or biological analytes, where the size of the localized gold nanostructures is comparable with the spot area of the focused laser beam.