Silver nanoclusters films for single molecule detection using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)

A highly efficient Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) substrate was prepared using a nanocluster deposition system that enabled detection of Crystal Violet molecules down to a single molecule level. The large SERS signal enhancement can be attributed to the presence of nano gaps on the surface of the nanoclusters which create abundant hot spots for electric field enhancement. Observed variations in the Raman peaks at very low molar concentrations in the range 4 × 10⁻¹⁴–3.2 × 10⁻¹⁸ M suggest that the spectra are due to a single molecule. Possible mechanisms for ultrahigh SERS sensitivity of the substrates are discussed. These substrates take the detection limit of CV down by two orders of magnitude as compared to those reported in literature.