Structures for surface enhanced Raman
View Patent ↗In one example, a structure for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy includes a cluster of metal nanoparticles in a hole.
1. A structure for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, comprising a cluster of metal nanoparticles in a tapered hole, the cluster including a nanoparticle in a narrower part of the hole and multiple nanoparticles in a broader part of the hole, and where the nanoparticles are clustered in layers with a layer at a narrow part of the hole including a single nanoparticle.
2. The structure of claim 1 , where the cluster comprises a two layer cluster of five nanoparticles, a two layer cluster of four nanoparticles, a three layer cluster of ten nanoparticles, and/or a three layer cluster of fourteen nanoparticles.
3. The structure of claim 1 , where the cluster includes a top layer of three to ten nanoparticles.
4. The structure of claim 1 , where the tapered hole comprises a cone shaped hole and/or a pyramid shaped hole.
5. The structure of claim 1 , where the hole is a single hole.
6. The structure of claim 1 , where:
the hole is multiple holes; and
the cluster of metal nanoparticles comprises a cluster of metal nanoparticles in each of the holes.
7. The structure of claim 1 , comprising a reflective material lining the hole.
8. The structure of claim 7 , comprising a dielectric coating the reflective lining to electrically insulate the metal nanoparticles from the reflective lining.