Sputtered gold films for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Abstract

Sputtered gold films in a pure form or as nanocomposites in silica or silicon nitride were screened for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity using Rhodamine 6G as a probe. The films were prepared by sputtering pure gold or solidified Au–Si alloys in plasmas generated in a dc glow discharge apparatus. The plasmas were produced with argon, nitrogen, or argon–oxygen as the sputtering gas to directly deposit gold films or in the latter case a gold oxide intermediate. The alloys produce nanocomposite films in a silicon nitride or silica matrix depending on the plasma gas. SERS activity was detected in some of the films thus leading to a search for the critical parameters that controlled this phenomenon. The films were characterized by profilometry, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. SERS activity was found to be correlated to crystallite size in the 10–25 nm range and to roughness larger than 15 nm, and it was independent of film thickness. Sputtered gold films, particularly those containing the gold as a nanocomposite in silica are attractive media for SERS because of excellent adherence, ruggedness, and simplicity in preparation.