Presented here are angle dependence studies on the surface enhanced Raman (SER) signal obtained from dye placed on plasmon active nanocavity arrays. A comparative study was carried out between two modified array supports. One array had dye placed only on the interior walls of the cavities in the array. The other array had dye placed only on its top flat surface. Results show that Raman intensities as a function of angle depend on the location of the dye on the array; this was interpreted to arise from the presence of different plasmon polariton modes in these sites.

Presented here are studies of the impact of excitation angle on surface enhanced Raman and luminescence spectroscopy of dye immobilised on a plasmon active nanocavity array support. Results show that both Raman and luminescence intensities depend on the angle of incidence consistent with the presence of cavity supported plasmon modes. Dependence of scattering or emission intensity with excitation angle occurs over the window of observation.

Presented here are studies of the impact of incident angle on surface enhanced emission from a dye that is located site selectively on a plasmon active nanocavity array support. Studies were performed for a surface active luminescent dye selectively assembled on the top surface or on the walls of the voids of nanocavity array substrates. Results show that emission intensities depend on where the dye is located with respect to the void or surface of the nanocavity array and on the dimensions of the cavity. This was interpreted to arise from the presence of void localised plasmons and surface localised and delocalised plasmon modes.Corresponding author James rice@ucd.ie

In this paper we probe surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and Surface enhanced Fluorescence (SEF) from probe molecule Rhodamine 6G (Rhod6G) on self-standing Au nanorod array substrates made using a combination of anodization and potentiostatic electrodeposition. The finished substrates were embedded within a porous alumina template. By varying the etching time i.e. the thickness of the alumina, we show that there exists an inverse relationship between SERS and SEF. SERS and SEF also show a nonlinear response to increasing etching time due to an inhomogeneous plasmon activity across the nanorod. By modeling the electromagnetic fields created at different etching times we confirm the nonuniform plasmon activity along the Au nanorods and explain the nonlinear behaviors of SERS and SEF. Optimization of the level of alumina matrix thickness optimizes conditions for obtaining either maximized SERS, SEF or for simultaneously observing both SERS and SEF together.

Key wordsNanoparticles, gold nanovoid arrays, Raman, luminescence AbstractStudies comparing the effect of adding two different nanoparticles compositions on the plasmonic properties of Au nanovoid arrays were undertaken. Surface enhanced resonance luminescence and surface enhanced resonance Raman studies comparing dispersed Ag nanoparticles and Ag nanoparticle aggregates on gold nanovoid arrays were undertaken. These studies showed that using Ag nanoparticle aggregates increased the both luminescence and Raman efficiency relative to when dispersed nanoparticles were used, in addition these studies also showed that adding dispersed Ag nanoparticles supported a more reproducible enhancement in luminescence and Raman across the substrate compared to using Ag nanoparticle aggregates. Finite element analysis simulations indicated that surface plasmon polariton distribution in the sample was affected by the presence of the Ag nanoparticles on the Au nanovoid array.