SERS intensity optimization by controlling the size and shape of faceted gold nanoparticles

In this work, we experimentally investigated the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) activity of faceted gold nanoparticles, which have been theoretically predicted to yield giant enhancements. Glycine was used to determine the SERS activity as a function of pH and ionic strength and to estimate the corresponding enhancement factor (EF). By optimizing the synthesis conditions of the flat prismatic nanoparticles, it was possible to control their size and shape. We demonstrate that the maximum SERS intensity increases with the edge length of the triangle, reaching a maximum EF of similar to 10(13) for 1.9 mu m triangles (the largest tested). The corresponding glycine detection limit was as low as 10(-12) m, close to the single-molecule threshold. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.