Surface enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has been considered as a promising technique in the area of analytical applications due to its molecular specific spectrum and capability of single-molecule detection. Recently, experimental data as well as theoretical simulations have shown that sharp nanoparticle features and interparticle gaps make hot-spots in the electromagnetic fields, which are directly linked with the amplification of the SERS. For this reason, extensive efforts have been devoted to synthesis nanoparticles with sharp tips or edges. Here, we synthesized the hyperbranched plasmonic nanoparticles with abundant sharp tips and edges using simple colloidal synthesis. By controlling composition of growth solutions, the shape and size of hyperbranched nanoparticles was tuned and their optical properties were characterized by single particle spectroscopy. Finally, we demonstrated that strong SERS enhancement from the resulting hyperbranched nanoparticles comparing with sphere nanoparticle aggregates. We believe our plasmonic nanoparticle has potential towards a wide range of biophotonic applications such as sensing and imaging.

Preparation and characterization of Raman scattering-active hyperbranched plasmonic nanoparticles

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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