High-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors based on Ag nanoparticles-coated Si nanowire arrays for quantitative detection of pesticides

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor made of Ag nanoparticles-coated Si nanowire (SiNW) arrays was fabricated for the quantitative detection of Carbaryl (an important nitrogen pesticide). H-terminated SiNWs were capable of reducing silver ions, leading to uniform deposition of silver nanoparticles on SiNW arrays. Such wire arrays exhibited a superior detection sensitivity of 10(-17) M Rodamine 6G with high reproducibility. The sensor also enabled high sensitivity, reproducibility, and stability detection of Carbaryl. Significantly, the linear relation between the logarithmic concentrations and Raman peak intensities provided quantitative detection of Carbaryl.