Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering from Pyridine, Water, and Halide Ions on Au, Ag, and Cu Electrodes

Abstract

Abstract The enhancement of Raman scattering for pyridine molecules on Au, Ag, and Cu and for water and halide ions on Ag and Cu electrodes has been investigated. — An enhancement has been found only in that spectral region where relative undamped surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) can be excited, showing a general increase for long wavelength excitation. — The electrochemical pretreatment of the metal surfaces. consisting in an oxidation/reduction cycle creates large scale roughness and adatom‐adsorbate complexes, both of which are necessary simultaneously in order to obtain intense SER scattering. — It is infered that the enhancement results from high density of SPP quanta created at rough or particularly shaped metal surfaces and the SPP scattering cross section being significant larger than that of photons.