Strong polarized enhanced Raman scattering via optical tunneling through random parallel nanostructures in Au thin films

Random parallel nanostructures (ridges and channels) were created by scratching gold thin films deposited on glass slides. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that the width of the substructures within the scratches were of the order of a few hundred nanometers. These nanometric gold features can then support localized surface plasmon resonances in the direction perpendicular to the propagation of the scratches. This surface plasmon excitation led to a remarkable dependence of the intensity of the surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) on the polarization direction of the incident light relative to the orientation of the scratch. The maximum SERRS intensities for oxazine 720 (a common laser dye) adsorbed on these nanostructures were obtained when the polarization of the light field was perpendicular to the direction of the substructures. The SERRS intensities followed a squared dependence on the polarization direction of the incident field.