On the SERS depolarization ratio

Abstract The Raman depolarization ratio is a quantity that can be easily measured experimentally and offers unique information on the Raman polarizability tensor of molecular vibrations. In Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), molecules are near-field coupled with optical nanoantennas and their scattering properties are strongly affected by the radiation patterns of the nanoantenna. The polarization of the SERS photons is consequently modified, affecting, in a non trivial way, the measured value of the SERS depolarization ratio. In this article we elaborate a model that describes how the SERS depolarization ratio is influenced by the nanoantenna re-radiation properties, suggesting how to retrieve information on the Raman polarizability from SERS experiments.