title: Improving correlated SERS measurements with scanning electron microscopy: an assessment of the problem arising from the deposition of amorphous carbon.
abstract: For surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with nonspherical symmetry, it is critical to correlate spectroscopy measurements with imaging by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). However, the deposition of carbon resulting from e-beam exposure during SEM imaging contaminates the surface of nanoparticles, potentially preventing their further functionalization with Raman probe molecules. In addition, the deposited carbon leads to unwanted background SERS signals. In this study, we systematically investigated the deposition of carbon during SEM imaging and examined how it affects the functionalization of nanoparticles with probe molecules and impacts the detection of SERS signals. Significantly, we found that the carbon could be removed or replaced from the surface of Ag nanoparticles through chemical or physical means, rendering the nanoparticles the capability for correlated SEM/SERS studies.
authors: The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Medical School, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
authors: Christine H
authors: CH
authors: Moran
authors: Xiaohu
authors: X
authors: Xia
authors: Younan
authors: Y
authors: Xia
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D012834:Silver; C540257:4-methylbenzenethiol; D002244:Carbon