Author(s)

Chen Min ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

Corresponding Author

Chen Min

ABSTRACT

Noble metal nanostructures, particularly those based on gold, silver, and their hybrids, have emerged as the most effective substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) due to their ability to generate strong localized surface plasmon resonances and intense electromagnetic hot spots. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in the rational design, fabrication, and optimization of these nanostructures to enhance their SERS performance in terms of sensitivity, reproducibility, stability, and selectivity. This paper systematically reviews the types of noble metal nanostructures commonly employed for SERS, including nanoparticles, nanorods, nanoshells, nanocubes, nanoplates, and bimetallic hybrids, with an emphasis on structural parameters that dictate plasmonic enhancement. Strategies for performance optimization, such as surface functionalization, hybridization, and precise geometric engineering, are analyzed in depth. The discussion is extended to practical applications in chemical and biological sensing, environmental monitoring, food safety, medical diagnostics, and security-related fields, highlighting how optimized substrates bridge the gap between fundamental research and real-world applications. The insights provided by this study not only summarize the current state of SERS-active noble metal nanostructures but also offer guidance for future research aimed at scalable fabrication, improved durability, and integration with portable detection platforms. These advances are expected to accelerate the deployment of SERS in multidisciplinary fields and establish it as a powerful analytical and diagnostic technology.

KEYWORDS

SERS, Noble Metal Nanostructures, Bimetallic Hybrids, Plasmonic Hot Spots, Optimization Strategies, Sensing Applications

CITE THIS PAPER

Chen Min, Design of Noble Metal Nanostructures and Optimization of Their SERS Performance. Modern Physical Chemistry Research (2025) Vol. 5: 63-68. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mpcr.2025.050108.

REFERENCES

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