SERS labels for red laser excitation: silica-encapsulated SAMs on tunable gold/silver nanoshells

In a glass house: Silica-encapsulated self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on tunable gold/silver nanoshells were used as labels for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This concept combines the spectroscopic advantages arising from maximum surface coverage and uniform molecular orientation of the Raman reporter molecules within the complete monolayer together with the high chemical and mechanical stability of the glass shell.