Spontaneous versus Stimulated Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering of Liquid Water

We have observed for the first time the surface-enhanced (SE) signal of water in an aqueous dispersion of silver nanoparticles in spontaneous (SERS) and femtosecond stimulated Raman (SE-FSRS) processes with different wavelengths of the Raman pump (515, 715, and 755 nm). By estimating the fraction of water molecules that interact with the metal surface, we have calculated enhancement factors (EF): 4.8 × 10⁶ for SERS and (3.6-3.7) × 10⁶ for SE-FSRS. Furthermore, we have tested the role of simultaneous plasmon resonance and Raman resonance conditions for the aν ₁ + bν₃ overtone mode of water (755 nm) in SE-FSRS signal amplification. When the wavelength of the Raman pump is within the plasmon resonance of the metal nanoparticles, the Raman resonance has a negligible effect on the EF. However, the Raman resonance with the aν ₁ + bν₃ mode strongly enhances the signal of the fundamental OH stretching mode of water.