Laser-induced growth and deposition of noble-metal nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

We describe laser-induced growth and deposition of gold and silver nanoparticles for use as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The nanoparticles form at a glass surface in contact with an aqueous solution with metal ions and a reducing agent if the interface is illuminated with visible laser light. The technique thus allows for positioning of metal nanoparticles in devices with limited accessibility for optical sensing by SERS.