title: Nanofabricated SERS-active substrates for single-molecule to virus detection in vitro: a review.
abstract: The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method has great potential for the detection of Raman-active species, ranging from single molecules to biomolecules. In the last five years, various approaches have been developed to fabricate SERS-active substrates with high sensitivity using noble metal nanostructures via top-down, bottom-up, combination, or template-assisted routes. Nanostructured substrates with high average SERS enhancement factors (EFs) can now be easily produced, with the EF depending strongly on the size and shape of the nanostructures that give rise to the effect. For SERS substrates to be used as a platform for applications such as trace detection and bio-sensing, several issues, including sensitivity, intensity-concentration dependency, and selectivity, need to be addressed. Although several challenges remain before SERS-active substrates become consistent analytical tools, many successful examples have been demonstrated with promising results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shyh-Chyang
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kundan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sivashanmugan
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan; Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan. Electronic address: jdliao@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jiunn-Der
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Kai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Han-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: Bio-sensing; Enhancement factor; Nanostructure; Surface-enhanced Raman scattering; Trace detection