Title: Shell‐Isolated Tip‐Enhanced Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Authors: Ya-Ping Huang, Sheng-Chao Huang, Xiang-Jie Wang, Nataraju Bodappa, Hao Yin, Chao-Yu Li,  Hai-Sheng Su, Meng Meng, Hua Zhang, Bin Ren, Zhi-Ling Yang, Renato Zenobi, Zhong-Qun Tian,  Jian-Feng Li

Abstract:

Tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy can provide molecular fingerprint information with ultrahigh spatial resolution, but the tip will be easily contaminated, thus leading to artifacts. It also remains a great challenge to establish tip‐enhanced fluorescence due to quenching resulting from the proximity of the metal tip. Herein, we report shell‐isolated tip enhanced Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies by employing ultrathin shell‐isolated tips fabricated by atomic layer deposition. Such shell‐isolated tips not only show outstanding electromagnetic field enhancement in TERS, but also exclude interference by contaminants, thus greatly promoting applications in solution. Tip‐enhanced fluorescence has also been achieved using these shell‐isolated tips, with enhancement factors up to 1.7×10E3, consistent with theoretical simulations. Furthermore, tip‐enhanced Raman and fluorescence signals are acquired simultaneously, and their relative intensities can be manipulated by changing the shell thickness. This work opens up a new avenue for ultrahigh resolution surface analysis using plasmon‐enhanced spectroscopies.

Full-Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201802892