title: Nanostructured optical fiber with surface-enhanced Raman scattering functionality.
abstract: A powerful method for the production of reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates is described based on the scaling properties of glass rods when drawn into fibers. The fabrication process involves chemically eroding the cleaved tips of drawn silica imaging fibers and then coating them with silver. For an appropriate choice of final diameter the drawn and eroded tips show clearly defined and regular triangular formations on a scale of approximately 80 nm. The favorable SERS properties of these structures have been demonstrated by the observation of enhancement factors of approximately 10(6).
authors.affiliation: Center for Imaging and Applied Optics, School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical Engineering, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Stoddart