Optimization of the particle density to maximize the SERS enhancement factor of periodic plasmonic nanostructure array

Low-cost surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with the largest possible enhancement factor is highly desirable for SERS-based sensing applications. In this work, we systematically investigated how the density of plasmonic nanostructures affects the intensity of SERS signal. By directly depositing of metallic layer on electron-beam-lithography defined dielectric nanoposts, plasmonic structures array with different densities were reliably fabricated for SERS measurements. Two main experimental phenomena were obtained: (1) the SERS intensity did not increase monotonically when increasing the density of plasmonic structures, and (2) these ultra-dense plasmonic structures resulted in the maximal SERS intensity. These results could be well explained based on finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulations and provide robust experimental evidences to guide the design of the best possible SERS substrate.