Selection of Highly SERS‐Active Nanostructures from a Size Gradient of Au Nanovoids on a Single Bipolar Electrode

Abstract

Abstract As surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) crucially depends on the morphology of nanostructured metal surfaces, we developed a convenient approach to produce a size gradient of truncated spherical Au nanovoids on a single bipolar electrode. The continuous potential drop in solution implies a linearly changing interfacial potential difference at the wireless electrode, leading to a linearly changing rate of Au electrodeposition. Such a structural gradient enables fast and reproducible screening for those structures, evoking high SERS intensity in a particular experiment. The optimal Au deposition potential with respect to the highest SERS amplification was determined and applied for the fabrication of highly active SERS substrates.