Materials - Zinc oxide films as SERS platforms

Zinc oxide films as SERS platforms

Description

The platform for testing of the chemical composition is based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The proposed SERS platform is constructed based on the zinc oxide layer with a developed surface morphology, obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and coated with gold. Platforms obtained by this method combine very good sensitivity and low prize. The latter one is possible by using cheap material (zinc oxide) and inexpensive deposition method (ALD, Atomic Layer Deposition).

Specification

Repeatability of the spectra at different points of the SERS platform (Fig. 3)
High enhancement of Raman signal (10⁶)
Biocompability (SERS platform are based on biologically safe zinc oxide)

Applications

SERS technique allows detection of trace amounts of chemicals, even at the level of single molecules. It is used to detect all kinds of molecules, both in the solutions, as well as in solids or biological systems.

Patent Application: P.406026 (Method for preparing a platform for testing of chemicals by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and platform obtained by this process).

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image of the surface of zinc oxide film grown by ALD and applied as a SERS platform.

SERS spectra of p-mercatobenzoic acid absorbed at different points of SERS platform.

SERS spectrum of cocaine molecule absorbed at the SERS platform based on ZnO grown by ALD.