Fabrication and characterization of highly ordered Au nanocone array-patterned glass with enhanced SERS and hydrophobicity

Abstract Fabrication of highly ordered nanostucture arrays on desirable substrate has great potential applications in optoelectronics, photocatalysis and biological sensors. A simple but efficient fabrication method for producing ordered Au nanocone arrays on glass through using ultrathin alumina membranes (UTAMs) as evaporation masks was detailed described in this report. Meanwhile, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) property of these highly ordered Au nanocone arrays was characterized by absorption spectrum with a peak position located at 618 nm. The simulated spatial distribution of the electric field revealed a strong enhancement of electromagnetic field in the vicinity of Au nanocones, which provided a good explanation on the enhanced Raman spectrum of Rhodamine 6G. Futhermore, because of trapping air bubble into the valleys, an increasing hydrophobicity of surface patterned by Au nanocone arrays was achieved.