Effect of the Duty Cycle of Flower-like Silver Nanostructures Fabricated with a Lyotropic Liquid Crystal on the SERS Spectrum
Shen Zhang,
Zhihui Jiang,
Yijin Liang,
Yili Shen,
Hongmin Mao,
Huijuan Sun,
Xin Zhao,
Xiaoping Li,
Wusheng Hu,
Guoding Xu,
Zhaoliang Cao
Affiliations
Shen Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Zhihui Jiang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Yijin Liang
Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Shanghai 201109, China
Yili Shen
Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Shanghai 201109, China
Hongmin Mao
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Huijuan Sun
Institute of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Institute of Mathematics and Physics, Beijing Union University, Beijing 100101, China
Xin Zhao
School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Xiaoping Li
Basic Department, Jiyuan Vocational and Technical College, Jiyuan 454682, China
Wusheng Hu
Basic Department, Jiyuan Vocational and Technical College, Jiyuan 454682, China
Guoding Xu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Zhaoliang Cao
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Physical Science and Technology, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely reported to improve the sensitivity of Raman spectra. Ordinarily, the laser is focused on the sample to measure the Raman spectrum. The size of the focused light spot is comparable with that of micro-nano structures, and the number of micro-nano structures contained in the light spot area (defined as duty cycle) will severely affect the spectrum intensity. In this study, flower-like silver nanostructures were fabricated with a soft lyotropic liquid crystal template in order to investigate the effect of duty cycle. They were observed under a scanning electron microscope, and their spectrum enhancement factor was computed with the obtained Raman spectrum. Then, their duty cycles were measured using a SERS substrate at different locations. A formula was derived to represent the relation between the duty cycle of the nanoflowers and the Raman spectral intensity. This work could promote the actual applications of SERS in high-sensitivity spectrum testing.
