SERS Active Surface in Two Steps, Patterning and Metallization

Robust and reproducible metallized nano/microstructured surfaces of polymeric surfaces have been successfully prepared by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) of commercial polymeric films followed by sputtering of metallic thin films. The SERS spectra for 2-thioaniline adsorbed on a structured polycarbonate surfaces covered with a gold or platinum film showed a ca. three order of magnitude enhancement over a flat surface with the same metal film. The method here reported is suitable for mass production of substrates for SERS since large areas (several cm2) can be structured in ca. 1–5 s.

The research work of Prof. Mücklich was supported by the Alfred Krupp Prize for Young University Teachers awarded by the Krupp Foundation. D. Acevedo and C. Barbero are permanent fellows of CONICET. The authors acknowledge the International Bureaus of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, Germany) and the Secretary of Science and Technology (SeCyT, Argentina) for financial support (Bilateral Cooperation Germany – Argentina, project “Advanced Design of Electrochemical Functional Materials using Direct Laser Interference Patterning”). D. Acevedo thanks the EU (IRSES project “NanoCom Network”. Pr. no: 247524) for the financial support for the scientist's mobility.