 Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy enhanced by a nearby structured surface, commonly through local plasmonic fields and adsorbate-specific electronic interactions. Enhancement of a signal per molecule does not alone determine a detection limit.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that enhances the Raman scattering signals of molecules adsorbed on rough metallic surfaces or nanostructures. This technique capitalizes on the properties of surface plasmons—coherent oscillations of electrons at the surface of metals—that significantly increase the intensity of Raman signals.