Detection of volatile organic compounds using surface enhanced Raman scattering
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Source
- Conference: Presented at: SPIE Defense, Security & Sensing, Baltimore, MD, United States, Apr 23 - Apr 27, 2012
- Subject
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
42 ENGINEERING
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY ADSORPTION
DETECTION
GASES
MONITORING
NANOSTRUCTURES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
SECURITY
SPECTROSCOPY
SUBSTRATES
TOLUENE
- Language
- English
The authors present the detection of volatile organic compounds directly in their vapor phase by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on lithographically-defined two-dimensional rectangular array of nanopillars. The type of nanopillars is known as the tapered pillars. For the tapered pillars, SERS enhancement arises from the nanofocusing effect due to the sharp tip on top. SERS experiments were carried out on these substrates using various concentrations of toluene vapor. The results show that SERS signal from a toluene vapor concentration of ppm level can be achieved, and the toluene vapor can be detected within minutes of exposing the SERS substrate to the vapor. A simple adsorption model is developed which gives results matching the experimental data. The results also show promising potential for the use of these substrates in environmental monitoring of gases and vapors.