Surface enhanced Raman scattering SERS substrate/substrate

Surface enhanced Raman scattering SERS substrate/substrate

Haoliang Optoelectronics has launched a new product for ultra sensitive molecular detectionSurface enhanced Raman scattering SERS substrate/substrateSERStrate ，Realize ultra sensitive molecular detection at concentrations as low as pm.Capable of trace detection of various molecules ranging from life sciences to military applications. Most device manufacturing techniques involve polymer mask deposition (some form of photolithography) or complex chemistry, which greatly increases device manufacturing costs. We have adopted unique nanomanufacturing techniques that abandon photolithography and only involve two simple manufacturing steps. By combining our simple and large-scale manufacturing process with specific nanostructure patterns, we can provide you with surface enhancementsRaman scattering(SERS) substrate.

• The Raman enhancement rate of gold/silver SERStrate is higher than any other gold/silver SERS substrate on the market today

• Specially designed for 785 nm/532-785nm lasersstimulateAnd design

• Uniform Raman enhancement on the entire substrate

• Repeatable enhancement between different substrates and batches for quantitative analysis

• Low backscenerysignal

• Can be used for corrosive solvents and high temperatures

Specific examples from our clients:

• Melamine testing (food safety)

• Detection of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and HCN

• Detection of hormones in water

• Explosive Detection (DNT)

• PH sensing of subcellular structures using live cells

• Detection of Tamra labeled Antidiuretic Hormone Molecules in pM State

common problem:

1. What is SERS substrate?

   SERS substrate, also known as SERStrate, is essentially a silicon chip coated with metals such as gold or silver (or alternatively customized metals). Silicon wafers are composed of a special structure - silver/gold coated nanocolumns, which facilitate molecular sensing (Raman scattering). SERS substrates can be used to detect extremely small amounts of various chemicals, hormones, explosives, subcellular structures, etc.

2. Which substrate coating has a good signal enhancement effect?

   Based on experience, silver provides better signal enhancement. Compared to Au (gold), the enhancement factor is usually 10-100 times.

3. Should I clean/treat/sonicate the substrate before depositing the analyte?

Usually not needed. This will cause the substrate nanowires to tilt and produce unwanted results.

Which side of the substrate should I use for measurement?

Only one side of the SERS substrate is suitable for measurement. The surface is coated with gold or silver (or customized coating according to special requirements). You can identify the correct active surface by observing the colors on both sides of the substrate. The SERS substrate coated with gold appears in "brown/bronze/red" colorhueThe silver SERS substrate is light/beige in color.

How should I handle the substrate correctly?

Do not touch the active surface of the substrate with your fingers, do not scratch it, and do not use the substrate in a dusty environment - this will produce unreliable results.

6. How do I distinguish SERS substrates? Which ones are gold and which ones are silver?

The gold SERS substrate has a "brown/bronze/red" color tone. The silver base has a light/beige color tone. If the silver substrate appears very dark in color, they are likely to have oxidized.

Can I measure molecules in the gas phase?

Yes

8. SERS substrate and impregnation?

Ag and Au SERS substrates can be immersed in any liquid.

Is there any other layer covering the SERS substrate besides the gold or silver coating?

No, the SERS substrate does not contain any additional layers or films. SERS substrates can be used without any cleaning, ultrasonic treatment, etc. Processing SERS substrates before analyte deposition may produce unreliable results, so it is not recommended to do so.

10.Can a thin film be prepared by spin coating and then the solvent is evaporated on a hot plate?

You can try spin coating materials on SERS substrates and then evaporate the solvent. This is not a conventional method and requires some experiments to obtain satisfactory results. The reason is that (i) spin coating generates unusual "hot spots" (depending on spin coating parameters), and (ii) solvent evaporation is affected by temperature (>200 ℃ poses a danger to nanostructures), thereby affecting silver/gold nanostructures. Therefore, the deposition of this material/analyte requires experimental verification, but may be effective.

What is the shelf life of the substrate?

3-4 weeks before starting (Ag) oxidation
Not activated (Ag): Over 1 year.

Our substrates (silver and gold) are packaged in a nitrogen cleanroom. Silver substrates can be stored for up to 6-9 months in this environment. Over time, the silver substrate will gradually oxidize, and internal laboratory testing only found a slight decrease in performance. Even after one year, the substrate can still be used. Unless you want to study substances that bind with silver and do not want to form silver oxide on the surface, oxidation has not been found to be a major problem. Once the packaging is opened, the silver substrate will oxidize within 3-4 weeks, but internal testing can still provide good results.

How to store substrates effectively?

SERS substrates should be stored at room temperature or below. The packaging bag for transporting SERS substrates is filled with inert gas. Once you open the packaging, we recommend storing SERStrates in a vacuum/inert (argon/nitrogen) environment and placing them in a dryer - but this is not a necessary condition for SERS substrates to produce good results.

13. What solvents can I use?

Usually, we see customers using solvents such as water, ethanol, and isopropanol.

For more details, please feel free to contact Haoliang Optoelectronics directly!

AboutHaoliang Optoelectronics：

Shanghai Haoliang Optoelectronic Equipment Co., Ltd., with a strong localized sales network and professional technical support team, has long served tens of thousands of industrial and scientific research customers in China, covering cutting-edge fields such as semiconductors, biomedicine, quantum technology, precision manufacturing, biological microscopy, IoT sensing, material processing, and optical communication.

Haoliang Optoelectronics has an expert level software and hardware development team and rich industry application experience, which can provide:

✅ 24/7 after-sales technical support - quick response to ensure stable operation of equipment;

✅ Customized solutions - from pre-sales consultation to installation, training, system integration, etc., to meet diverse needs;

✅ Highly recognized by customers - service cases cover numerous top enterprises and research institutions, and customer satisfaction continues to rank among the top.

You can learn more product information through our Haoliang Optoelectronics website