Raman enhancement of azobenzene monolayers on substrates prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett deposition and electron-beam lithography techniques

Nanostructured metallic platforms for Raman enhancement were fabricated using Langmuir-Blodgett and electron beam (e-beam) lithography techniques. The gold platforms were inscribed on thin glass slides with the purpose of using them in a transmission geometry experimental setup under a confocal microscope. The plasmon frequency of the gold nanostructures was determined in the visible-near-infrared range for various pattern sizes prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett transfer and e-beam lithography. The surface Raman enhancement factors were determined for a monolayer of azobenzene molecules adsorbed on gold through thiol bonding and compared for both LB transfer and e-beam samples for nanostructures of comparable geometries.