title: Zeptomol detection through controlled ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering.
abstract: SERS permits identifying the nature of molecules in extremely low concentrations, but it is hindered by poor enhancement or low reproducibility. We demonstrate controllable approximately 10(10) signal amplification reaching the zeptomol detection limit for a nonresonant molecule by sandwiching the analyte between the tips of star-shaped gold nanoparticles and a planar gold surface using a simple synthetic procedure. This unprecedented control over light-intensity amplification opens a new avenue toward high-yield, fully reproducible, SERS-based, zeptomol detection and holds promise for nonlinear optics applications at the single-particle level.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Quimica-Fisica and Unidad Asociada CSIC-Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Lorenzo
authors.forename: Ramón A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Puebla
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pastoriza-Santos
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzucco
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stéphan
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kociak
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liz-Marzán
authors.forename: F Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García de Abajo