{"title":"Ion beam modifications of plasmonic PET flexible SERS substrates using a table top accelerator","authors":"Akanksha Motla , Raj Kumar , Rajendra Singh , Venugopal Rao Soma , D.K. Avasthi , S. Annapoorni","doi":"10.1016/j.nimb.2025.165865","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ion beam modification induces significant surface alterations that are crucial for applications in Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). SERS, a highly sensitive analytical technique, amplifies weak Raman signals by increasing the effective Raman cross-section of target analytes. This study investigates the development of SERS substrates using ion beam-based surface modification on flexible polymer substrates. Gold (Au) thin films were thermally evaporated onto Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) sheets and subsequently irradiated with 10 keV Ar<sup>+</sup> ions at fluences of 1 × 10<sup>15</sup>, 3 × 10<sup>15</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>16</sup>, and 3 × 10<sup>16</sup> ions/cm<sup>2</sup>. The morphological changes in the films were characterized via Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Both untreated and ion-irradiated films were assessed as SERS substrates for detecting Rhodamine B (RhB) dye at micro-molar (μM) and nano-molar (nM) concentrations. The findings emphasize the potential of ion-irradiated flexible polymer substrates in SERS applications. They demonstrate the crucial importance of surface engineering in improving the deposition of noble metals on the polymer surface, leading to enhanced sensing performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19380,"journal":{"name":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","volume":"568 ","pages":"Article 165865"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms","FirstCategoryId":"101","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X25002551","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"INSTRUMENTS & INSTRUMENTATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Ion beam modification induces significant surface alterations that are crucial for applications in Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). SERS, a highly sensitive analytical technique, amplifies weak Raman signals by increasing the effective Raman cross-section of target analytes. This study investigates the development of SERS substrates using ion beam-based surface modification on flexible polymer substrates. Gold (Au) thin films were thermally evaporated onto Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) sheets and subsequently irradiated with 10 keV Ar+ ions at fluences of 1 × 1015, 3 × 1015, 1 × 1016, and 3 × 1016 ions/cm2. The morphological changes in the films were characterized via Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Both untreated and ion-irradiated films were assessed as SERS substrates for detecting Rhodamine B (RhB) dye at micro-molar (μM) and nano-molar (nM) concentrations. The findings emphasize the potential of ion-irradiated flexible polymer substrates in SERS applications. They demonstrate the crucial importance of surface engineering in improving the deposition of noble metals on the polymer surface, leading to enhanced sensing performance.
期刊介绍:
Section B of Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research covers all aspects of the interaction of energetic beams with atoms, molecules and aggregate forms of matter. This includes ion beam analysis and ion beam modification of materials as well as basic data of importance for these studies. Topics of general interest include: atomic collisions in solids, particle channelling, all aspects of collision cascades, the modification of materials by energetic beams, ion implantation, irradiation - induced changes in materials, the physics and chemistry of beam interactions and the analysis of materials by all forms of energetic radiation. Modification by ion, laser and electron beams for the study of electronic materials, metals, ceramics, insulators, polymers and other important and new materials systems are included. Related studies, such as the application of ion beam analysis to biological, archaeological and geological samples as well as applications to solve problems in planetary science are also welcome. Energetic beams of interest include atomic and molecular ions, neutrons, positrons and muons, plasmas directed at surfaces, electron and photon beams, including laser treated surfaces and studies of solids by photon radiation from rotating anodes, synchrotrons, etc. In addition, the interaction between various forms of radiation and radiation-induced deposition processes are relevant.