A sensitive SERS substrate based on Au/TiO2/Au nanosheets.

Sensitive SERS substrates based on Au/TiO2/Au nanosheet have been prepared by physically sputtering Au nanoparticles onto fabricated TiO2 nanosheets. The Au/TiO2/Au nanosheets show much stronger SERS signal as compared to normal Au/Ti substrates by increasing surface area and effectively inducing plasmonic coupling between adjoining Au nanoparticles. In addition, influence factors such as concentration of probe solution and deposition time of gold nanoparticles were discussed. This study provides an easy-prepared and label-free substrate for the detection of biomolecule.