Surface-enhanced Raman scattering element, and method for manufacturing surface-enhanced Raman scattering element

• US 10,132,755 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Original Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics KK
• Inventors: Maruyama, Yoshihiro, Shibayama, Katsumi, Ito, Masashi, Hirohata, Toru, Kamei, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bologna, Dominic J
• Application Number:
  US14/420,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/651 Cuvettes therefore
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons

Abstract

A SERS element 2 comprises a substrate 21 having a front face 21a; a fine structure part 24, formed on the front face 21a, having a plurality of pillars 27; a first conductor layer 31 formed on the front face 21a and fine structure part 24 so as to cover the front face 21a and fine structure part 24 continuously; and a second conductor layer 32 formed on the first conductor layer 31 so as to form a plurality of gaps G1, G2 for surface-enhanced Raman scattering; while the first and second conductor layers 31, 32 are constituted by the same material.

Claims

1. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element comprising:

a substrate having a principal surface;

a fine structure part, formed on the principal surface, having a plurality of projections;

a first conductor layer formed on the principal surface and fine structure part so as to cover the principal surface and fine structure part continuously; and

a second conductor layer formed on the first conductor layer so as to form a plurality of gaps for surface-enhanced Raman scattering;

wherein the first and second conductor layers are constituted by the same material,

a thickness variability of the second conductor layer is greater than a thickness variability of the first conductor layer; and

the second conductor layer is formed with a gap on a part where no gap is formed in the first conductor layer.

2. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 1, wherein the second conductor layer has a base part formed along the principal surface and a plurality of protrusions protruding from the base part in respective positions corresponding to the projections;

wherein the base part is formed with a plurality of grooves surrounding the respective projections when seen in the projecting direction of the projections; and

wherein the gaps are formed at least within the grooves.

3. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the gap includes at least one of a first gap formed within the groove by the base part and the protrusion and a second gap formed within the groove by the base part and the first conductor layer.

4. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the grooves extend like rings so as to surround the respective projections when seen in the projecting direction of the projections.

5. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion has a form constricted at an end part on the substrate side.

6. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein a part of the protrusion located within the groove corresponding thereto is in an agglomerated state.

7. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the base part bulges along an outer edge of the groove.

8. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the base part and the protrusion are connected to each other at the deepest part of the groove.

9. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 2, wherein the base part and the protrusion are separated from each other at the deepest part of the groove.

10. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering element according to claim 1, wherein the projections are arranged periodically along the principal surface.

11. A method for manufacturing a surface-enhanced Raman scattering element, the method comprising:

a first step of forming a fine structure part having a plurality of projections on a principal surface of a substrate;

a second step of forming a first conductor layer on the principal surface of the substrate and the fine structure part by a first vapor deposition method; and

a third step of forming a second conductor layer for surface-enhanced Raman scattering on the first conductor layer by a second vapor deposition method;

wherein the first and second conductor layers are constituted by the same material;

wherein the second vapor deposition method has an anisotropy higher than that of the first vapor deposition method,

a thickness variability of the second conductor layer is greater than that a thickness variability of the first conductor layer; and

the second conductor layer is formed with a gap on a part where no gap is formed in the first conductor layer.