Surface enhanced Raman scattering of organic sample powders spread over vacuum-evaporated silver thin film

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from samples prepared by spreading para-nitrobenzoic acid (PNBA) and adenosine powders over silver thin films was achieved. The SERS intensities of the ionized PNBA on the silver film increase with increased applied pressure through a cover-glass and reach a maximum at 0.6 MPa. In contrast, the signals caused by adenosine remain nearly unchanged under applied pressures of 0-0.6 MPa. Beyond 0.6 MPa, the signals attributable to samples decrease in intensity. Atomic force microprobe images reveal that nanometer-scale surface morphology is changed by 0.8 MPa pressure, suggesting that the decrease in SERS intensity is related to pressure-induced morphological changes. Results obtained in this study indicate that SERS spectra are obtainable easily, without solvents, under ambient conditions using dispersion of the sample powder. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.