Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using silver-coated porous glass-ceramic substrates

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been studied using a silver-coated porous glass-ceramic material as a new type of substrate. The porous glass-ceramic is in the CaO-TiO2-P2O5 system prepared by controlled crystallization and subsequent chemical leaching of the dense glass-ceramic, leaving a solid skeleton with pores ranging in size from 50 nm to submicrometer. Silver was coated on the surface of the porous glass-ceramic by radio frequency (RF) sputtering or e-beam evaporation in vacuum. SERS spectra of excellent quality were obtained from several dyes and carboxylic acid molecules, including rhodamine 6G, crystal violet, isonicotinic acid, and benzoic acid, using this new substrate. This new substrate showed a good compatibility with these molecules. The porous glass ceramic with a nanometer-structured surface accommodated both test molecules and silver film. The absorbed molecules were therefore better interfaced with silver for surface-enhanced Raman scattering.