Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates from Nanostructured Metal-Semiconductor Composites
Summary
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on nanostructured metal–semiconductor composites marry the intense electromagnetic fields of plasmonic metals with the tunable electronic properties of semiconductors. By engineering interfaces at the nanoscale—through methods such as core–shell assembly, heterojunction formation and atomic doping—researchers achieve synergistic enhancement mechanisms: localised surface plasmon resonance concentrates light into nanoscale “hot spots”, while semiconductor charge-transfer processes further amplify molecular signals. Recent efforts have focused on combining silver or gold with zinc oxide or copper oxide architectures, enabling ultra-low detection limits and high reproducibility. Innovations include three-dimensional nanorod arrays, self-cleaning photocatalytic substrates and recyclable platforms that retain activity over multiple cycles. Such advanced materials offer robust, portable platforms for trace detection in environmental monitoring, biomedical diagnostics and industrial quality control, and exemplify a shift towards multifunctional, stable and scalable SERS sensors with real-world applicability.
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Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates from Nanostructured Metal-Semiconductor Composites publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in surface-enhanced raman scattering substrates from nanostructured metal-semiconductor composites across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS): A spectroscopic technique in which Raman scattering signals are greatly amplified by metal nanostructures.
Localised Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR): Collective oscillation of conduction electrons in metal nanoparticles under light excitation, generating intense local electromagnetic fields.
Enhancement Factor (EF): A metric quantifying the increase in Raman signal intensity provided by a SERS substrate relative to a non-enhancing surface.
Charge Transfer: Electronic interaction between a semiconductor and an adsorbed molecule or metal, contributing to chemical enhancement in SERS.
Hot Spot: A nanoscale region of highly concentrated electromagnetic field where Raman scattering from nearby molecules is maximally enhanced.
References
- Sensitive, Stable, and Recyclable ZnO/Ag Nanohybrid Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Metrology. ACS Materials Au (2024).
- Fabrication of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods Modified with Dense Silver Nanoparticles as Effective SERS Substrates. Chemosensors (2023).
- Mg-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles with Tunable Band Gaps for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)-Based Sensing. Nanomaterials (2022).
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