Surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect of ordered gold nanoparticle array for rhodamine B with different morphologies

In this study, well-ordered gold nanoparticle array on silicon substrate was adopted as an active surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate for detecting rhodamine B (RB), and the influence of RB morphologies on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties was discussed. The Au nanoparticle array was prepared by using patterned P4VP nanodomains of poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) diblock copolymer thin films as nanoreactors which is a simple and economical approach. The results show that Raman spectra of RB on the Au nanopaticle array have much stronger intensity than those on the bare silicon substrate by detecting same RB solution. It indicates that the prepared Au nanoparticle array on silicon substrate has a significant Raman enhancement for RB. Interestingly, the Raman intensity of RB from its ethanol solution is much stronger than that from its aqueous solution due to the special morphologies of RB formed in their ethanol solutions. This work provides an effective approach to prepare highly sensitive and stable surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate.