Fast Fabrication and Judgement of Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Active Tips

The quality of the scanning tip is crucial for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS)experiments towards large signal enhancement and high spatial resolution.In this work,we report a controllable fabrication method to prepare TERS-active tips by modifying the tip apex at the atomic scale,and propose two important criteria to in-situ judge the tip’s TERS activity for tip-enhanced Raman measurements.One criterion is based on the downshift of the first image potential state to monitor the coupling between the far-field incident laser and near-field plasmon;the other is based on the appearance of the low-wavenumber Raman peaks associated with an atomistic protrusion at the tip apex to judge the coupling efficiency of emissions from the near field to the far field.This work provides an effective method to quickly fabricate and judge TERS-active tips before real TERS experiments on target molecules and other materials,which is believed to be instrumental for the development of TERS and other tip-enhanced spectroscopic techniques.

Unveiling localized electronic properties of ReS2 thin layers at nanoscale using Kelvin force probe microscopy combined with tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Electronic properties of two-dimensional(2D) materials can be strongly modulated by localized strain. The typical spatial resolution of conventional Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM) is usually limited in a few hundreds of nanometers, and it is difficult to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials at nanoscales. Herein, tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS) is proposed to combine with KPFM to break this restriction. TERS scan is conducted on ReS2bubbles deposited on a rough Au thin film to obtain strain distribution by using the Raman peak shift. The localized contact potential difference(CPD) is inversely calculated with a higher spatial resolution by using strain measured by TERS and CPD-strain working curve obtained using conventional KPFM and atomic force microscopy. This method enhances the spatial resolution of CPD measurements and can be potentially used to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials.

Recent advances in tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy probe designs

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS)imaging is a super-resolution imaging technique that features the merits of both surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(SERS)and scanning probe microscopy(SPM),such as the high chemical sensitivity from the former and the nanoscale spatial resolution from the latter.These advantages make TERS an essential nanospectroscopic characterization technique for chemical analysis,materials science,bio-sensing,etc.TERS probes,the most critical factor determining the TERS imaging quality,are expected to provide a highly confined electromagnetic hotspot with a minimized scattering background for the generation of Raman signals with high spatial resolution.After two decades of development,numerous probe design concepts have been proposed and demonstrated.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art TERS probe designs,from the working mechanism to the practical performance.We start with reviewing the recent development of TERS configurations and the corresponding working mechanisms,including the SPM platforms,optical excitation/collection techniques,and probe preparation methods.We then review the emerging novel TERS probe designs,including the remote-excitation probes,the waveguide-based nanofocusing probes,the metal-coated nanofocusing probes,the nanowire-assisted selective-coupling probes,and the tapered metal-insulator-metal probes.Our discussion focuses on a few critical aspects,including the surface-plasmon-polariton(SPP)hotspot excitation technique,conversion efficiency,working frequency,and controllability.In the end,we review the latest TERS applications and give a perspective on the future of TERS.

Surface bonding on silicon surfaces as probed by tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) has been used to obtain the Raman signal of surface species on silicon single crystal surfaces without the necessity for surface enhancement by addition of Ag nanoparticles. By illuminating the hydrogen terminated silicon surface covered with a droplet of 4-vinylpyridine with UV light, a 4-ethylpyridine modified silicon surface can be easily obtained. By bringing a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) Au tip with a nanoscale tip apex to a distance of ca. 1 nm from the modified silicon surface, enhanced Raman signals of the silicon phonon vibrations and the surface-bonded 4-ethylpyridine were obtained. The Raman enhancement factor was estimated to be close to 107. By comparing the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal obtained after surface enhancement with Ag nanoparticles and the TERS signal of the surface, the advantage of TERS over SERS for characterizing the surface species on substrates becomes apparent: TERS readily affords vibrational information about the system without disturbing it by surface enhancement. In this sense, TERS can be considered a truly non-invasive tool which is ideal for characterizing the actual surface species on substrates.

Probing On-Surface Chemistry at the Nanoscale Using Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Chemistry on solid surfaces is central to many research areas of practical interest,such as synthesis,catalysis,electrochemistry,photochemistry,and materials science.A comprehensive understanding of the nanoscale on-surface chemistry involved in these areas is important for establishing composition-structure-performance relationships.With the rapid development of tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS),it has become possible to investigate physical and chemical processes on suitable surfaces at the nanoscale level and in real space.In this review,after a brief introduction of the background of onsurface chemistry and TERS,we systematically discuss the progress in the application of TERS in this field.Our focus is the applications of TERS to nanoscale coordination processes,decomposition reactions,polymerization processes,electrochemical reactions,catalytic chemistry,and functionalization chemistry on solid surfaces.We conclude by discussing the future challenges and development of TERS techniques and related applications in on-surface chemistry.

Principle, system, and applications of tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique in chemical information characterization. However, this spectral method is sub- ject to two obstacles in nano-material detection. One is diffraction limited spatial resolution, and the other is its inherent small Raman cross section and weak signaling. To resolve these problems, a new approach has been developed, denoted as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy （TERS）. TERS is capable of high-resolution and high-sensitivity detection and demonstrat- ed to be a promising spectroscopic and micro-topographic method to characterize nano-materials and nanostructures. In this paper, the principle and experimental system of TERS are discussed. The latest application of TERS in molecule detection, bi- ological specimen identification, nanao-material characterization, and senti-conductor material determination with some spe- cific experimental examples are presented.

Scanning Raman Picoscopy: Angstrom-Resolved Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectromicroscopy

In this review,we present a brief overview on the recent advances in Angstr6m-resolved tip-enhanced Raman spectromicroscopy.We first introduce the theoretical understanding of the confinement of light at the atomistic scale,and explain how the Raman scattering from a single molecule happens under the“illumination”of such an atomically confined light.Then we describe the latest developments on Angstr6m-resolved tipenhanced Raman spectromicroscopy,particularly on a new methodology called“scanning Raman picoscopy”for visually cons true ting the chemical st ruc ture of a single molecule in real space.Finally,we give a perspective of this technique in various applications where iden ti fying the chemical st ruc tu res of mat erials at the chemical bond level is required.

In situ infrared, Raman and X-ray spectroscopy for the mechanistic understanding of hydrogen evolution reaction

Hydrogen production by water reduction reactions has received considerable attention because hydrogen is considered a clean-energy carrier,key for a sustainable energy future.Computational methods have been widely used to study the reaction mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER),but the calculation results need to be supported by experimental results and direct evidence to confirm the mechanistic insights.In this review,we discuss the fundamental principles of the in situ spectroscopic strategy and a theoretical model for a mechanistic understanding of the HER.In addition,we investigate recent studies by in situ Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),Raman spectroscopy,and X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS) and cover new findings that occur at the catalyst-electrolyte interface during HER.These spectroscopic strategies provide practical ways to elucidate catalyst phase,reaction intermediate,catalyst-electrolyte interface,intermediate binding energy,metal valency state,and coordination environment during HER.

Investigation on Binding between Cations and Amides using UV Raman Spectroscopy

The interaction of proteins with salt ions plays an important role in life activities.We used butyramide as a model molecule to investigate the interaction of protein backbones with cations.The experiment was performed in an aqueous solution of metal chloride using UV Raman spectroscopy.It was found that well-hydrated metal cations(Ca^(2+),Mg^(2+))tend to bind to C=O in the amide bond,resulting in redistribution of the amide I band peaks.Specifically,the peak intensity ratio of 1655 cm^(-1)to 1610 cm^(-1)increases significantly with increasing concentrations.However,this phenomenon is not obviously observed in NaCl solution.Furthermore,we studied the effect of salt ions on the water structures.The addition of Ca^(2+)and Mg^(2+)is beneficial to the enhancement of the water signal at the 3400 cm^(-1)position,while the Na^(+)at the same concentration is not obvious.The results have shown that the interaction between cations and amides satisfies the following order:Ca^(2+)>Mg^(2+)>Na^(+),which conforms to the Hofmeister series.

Identifying the effect of photo-generated carriers on the phonons in rutile TiO_(2) through Raman spectroscopy

Investigating lattice vibrations through Raman spectroscopy is a crucial method for studying crystalline materials.Carriers can interact with lattices and influence lattice vibrations;thus,it is feasible to study the effect of photo-generated carriers on phonons by analyzing changes in the Raman spectra of semiconductors.Rutile is one of the predominant crystalline phases of TiO_(2),which is a widely utilized metal oxide semiconductor.In this work,rutile TiO_(2) is coated on a thinned optical fiber to concentrate ultraviolet light energy within the material,thereby enhancing the generation of carriers and amplifying the changes in the Raman spectra.A Raman detection laser with a wavelength of 532 nm is utilized to collect the Raman spectra of rutile TiO_(2) during irradiation.Using this setup,the impact of photo-generated carriers on the phonons corresponding to Raman vibrational modes is researched.The localization and non-radiative recombination of photo-generated carriers contribute to a reduction in both the frequencies and lifetimes of phonons.This work provides a novel approach to researching the effect of carriers on phonons.

Rapid and real-time analysis of multi-component dissolved gas in seawater by Raman spectroscopy combined with continuous gas-liquid separator

Rapid and sensitive detection of dissolved gases in seawater is quite essential for the investigation of the global carbon cycle.Large quantities of in situ optical detection techniques showed restricted measurement efficiency,owing to the single gas sensor without the identification ability of multiple gases.In this work,a novel gas-liquid Raman detection method of monitoring the multi-component dissolved gases was proposed based on a continuous gas-liquid separator under a large difference of partial pressure.The limit of detection(LOD)of the gas Raman spectrometer could arrive at about 14 μl·L^(-1)for N_(2)gas.Moreover,based on the continuous gas-liquid separation process,the detection time of the dissolved gases could be largely decreased to about 200 s compared with that of the traditional detection method(30 min).Effect of equilibrium time on gas-liquid separation process indicated that the extracted efficiency and decay time of these dissolved gases was CO_(2)>O_(2)>N_(2).In addition,the analysis of the relationship between equilibrium time and flow speed indicated that the decay time decreased with the increase of the flow speed.The validation and application of the developed system presented its great potential for studying the components and spatiotemporal distribution of dissolved gases in seawater.

High-resolution imaging of graphene by tip-enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering(CARS)is able to enhance molecular signals by vibrational coherence compared to weak Raman signal.The surface or tip enhancement are successful technologies,which make it possible for Raman to detect single molecule with nanometer resolution.However,due to technical diffculties,tip-enhanced CARS(TECARS)is not as successful as expected.For single molecular detection,high sensitivity and resolution are two main challenges.Here,we reported the first single atom layer TECARS imaging on Graphene with the highest resolution about 20 nm,which has ever been reported.The highest EF_(TECARS/CARS) is about 10^(4),the similar order of magnitude with SECARS(EF of tip is usually smaller than that of substrates).Such resolution and sensitivity is promising for medical,biology and chemical applications in the future.

Rapid analysis of Chinese steamed bread staling using Raman Spectroscopy

Staling is an important issue that Chinese steamed bread(CSB)may encounter during storage,which significantly affects their taste,flavor,and nutritional value.The monitoring technology for rapid aging is particularly important to effectively control the aging process of CSB,reduce quality deterioration,and promote the industrial production of CSB.Raman spectroscopy has been widely used in the study of food structure and properties due to its non-destructive and high-sensitivity characteristics,particularly demonstrating unique advantages in the analysis of starch structure.This study explored the possibility of analyzing the staling of CSB using Raman spectroscopy based on hardness and moisture content.Analysis of the correlation between the hardness of CSB and the full width at half maximum(FWHM)at 480 cm^(−1)during storage was conducted,and a significant positive correlation between them was found,with R^(2)above 0.8.Besides,nine characteristic peaks of CSB samples related to starch were selected for analysis.As the moisture content of CSB decreased,the peak intensities and areas of showed an upward trend during storage,with the best correlation coefficient above 0.8 revealed by linear regression analysis.Therefore,Raman spectra could be used as a potential method for the fast prediction of CSB staling.

Evaluation on residual stresses of silicon-doped CVD diamond films using X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

The effect of silicon doping on the residual stress of CVD diamond films is examined using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The examined Si-doped diamond films are deposited on WC-Co substrates in a home-made bias-enhanced HFCVD apparatus. Ethyl silicate (Si(OC2H5)4) is dissolved in acetone to obtain various Si/C mole ratio ranging from 0.1% to 1.4% in the reaction gas. Characterizations with SEM and XRD indicate increasing silicon concentration may result in grain size decreasing and diamond [110] texture becoming dominant. The residual stress values of as-deposited Si-doped diamond films are evaluated by both sin2ψ method, which measures the (220) diamond Bragg diffraction peaks using XRD, with ψ-values ranging from 0° to 45°, and Raman spectroscopy, which detects the diamond Raman peak shift from the natural diamond line at 1332 cm-1. The residual stress evolution on the silicon doping level estimated from the above two methods presents rather good agreements, exhibiting that all deposited Si-doped diamond films present compressive stress and the sample with Si/C mole ratio of 0.1% possesses the largest residual stress of ~1.75 GPa (Raman) or ~2.3 GPa (XRD). As the silicon doping level is up further, the residual stress reduces to a relative stable value around 1.3 GPa.

Raman spectroscopy and ionic structure of Na_3AlF_(6-)Al_2O_3 melts

Raman spectrum of molten cryolite was recorded. Based on the new understanding of the scattering coefficients, contents of various structural entities in acidic NaF-AlF3 melts at 942-1 024 ℃ in previous research were reanalyzed. The new quantitative analysis results show that when cryolite ratio（CR） is less than 2, AlF4- is the dominant anion in the melts, and its mole fraction is about 0.70 for melts with CR=1.5 and 0.50 for melts with CR=2. When CR is more than 2.5, the mole fraction of AlF6^3- is relatively large, which is around 0.45 for melts with CR=2.5. Ionic structure of Na3AlF6-Al2O3 melts was investigated by UV-Raman spectroscopy. Octahedral AlF6^3- and tetrahedral AlF4- are proved to exist with possible partial replacement of F- by O^2-. Al2O2F4^2- with a large scattering coefficient also exists in the melts in which alumina concentration is more than 4% （mass fraction）. The increase of temperature causes blue-shift of the bands in the Raman spectra.

Raman Spectroscopy of Nitrogen Clathrate Hydrates

Nitrogen hydrate samples were synthesized using liquid nitrogen and powder ice at 16 MPa and 253 K. Confocal laser Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the characteristics of nitrogen clathrate hydrates. The results show that the Raman peaks of N-N and O-H stretching vibration in nitrogen hydrates are observed at 2322.4 and 3092.1 cm^-1, respectively, which are very similar to those in natural air clathrate hydrates. For comparison, we measured the Raman peaks of N-N stretching vibration both in liquid nitrogen and nitrogen molecules saturated water, which appear at 2326.6 and 2325.0 cm^-1, respectively. The Raman spectroscopic observations on the dissociation process suggest that nitrogen molecules occupy both the large and small cages in nitrogen clathrate hydrates. However, only one Raman peak is observed for N N stretching vibration because the difference of the environment of nitrogen molecules between large and small cages is too small to be differentiated by Raman spectroscopy.

基于Raman光谱的3,5-二氨基-1,2,4-三唑(DAT)合成反应在线监测与反应机理探究——推荐一个仪器分析综合实验

本实验介绍了一个仪器分析综合性实验——基于Raman光谱的3,5-二氨基-1,2,4-三唑(DAT)合成的在线监测与反应机理探究。该实验是一个科研转化的仪器分析综合实验,内容包括DAT的合成、基于Raman光谱的合成反应过程在线监测以及合成反应机理解析。在实验中,采用化学计量学方法对Raman光谱数据进行处理和分析,以更深入地理解合成反应的机理。通过本实验,可以巩固学生的化学专业知识,提高学生的综合实验操作技能,激发学生对科学研究的兴趣,培养学生的科研探究能力。

基于Raman的复方柳安咖注射液主要成分分析

本文应用拉曼光谱技术对复方柳安咖注射液的主要成分及含量进行了分析。首先测试分析了62个复方柳安咖注射液样品的拉曼光谱,结果表明62个注射液样品的拉曼光谱主要由水杨酸钠、安替比林和咖啡因的水溶液拉曼谱带组成;进一步利用密度泛函理论(DFT)计算了其主要成分的理论拉曼光谱和红外光谱,与实验测定的固体粉末光谱和溶液光谱进行比较分析,进而对复方柳安咖注射液拉曼光谱谱峰的振动模式进行了归属;最后利用水杨酸钠和安替比林浓度梯度溶液拉曼光谱特征峰的峰高和峰面积,分别建立定量分析模型,对62个复方柳安咖注射液样品中主要成分水杨酸钠和安替比林的含量进行预测,并与液相色谱法测试值进行了对比,结果显示预测值与液相色谱法测试值相近,得到了较好的主要成分含量预测结果。研究结果可为复方柳安咖注射液药剂的生产、药品质量的监控、药品光谱分析研究等方面提供参考。

In situ Raman spectroscopic quantification of CH4–CO2 mixture: application to fluid inclusions hosted in quartz veins from the Longmaxi Formation shales in Sichuan Basin, southwestern China

We re-evaluate the Raman spectroscopic quantification of the molar ratio and pressure for CH4–CO2 mixtures.Firstly,the Raman quantification factors of CH4 and CO2 increase with rising pressure at room temperature,indicating that Raman quantification of CH4/CO2 molar ratio can be applied to those fluid inclusions(FIs)with high internal pressure(i.e.,>15 MPa).Secondly,the v1(CH4)peak position shifts to lower wavenumber with increasing pressure at constant temperature,confirming that the v1(CH4)peak position can be used to calculate the fluid pressure.However,this method should be carefully calibrated before applying to FI analyses because large discrepancies exist among the reported v1(CH4)-P curves,especially in the highpressure range.These calibrations are applied to CH4-rich FIs in quartz veins of the Silurian Longmaxi black shales in southern Sichuan Basin.The vapor phases of these FIs are mainly composed of CH4 and minor CO2,with CO2 molar fractions from4.4%to 7.4%.The pressure of single-phase gas FI ranges from 103.65 to 128.35 MPa at room temperature,which is higher than previously reported.Thermodynamic calculations supported the presence of extremely high-pressure CH4-saturated fluid(218.03–256.82 MPa at 200°C),which may be responsible for the expulsion of CH4 to adjacent reservoirs.

Different angle-resolved polarization configurations of Raman spectroscopy: A case on the basal and edge plane of two-dimensional materials

Angle-resolved polarized Raman（ARPR） spectroscopy can be utilized to assign the Raman modes based on crystal symmetry and Raman selection rules and also to characterize the crystallographic orientation of anisotropic materials.However, polarized Raman measurements can be implemented by several different configurations and thus lead to different results. In this work, we systematically analyze three typical polarization configurations： 1） to change the polarization of the incident laser, 2） to rotate the sample, and 3） to set a half-wave plate in the common optical path of incident laser and scattered Raman signal to simultaneously vary their polarization directions. We provide a general approach of polarization analysis on the Raman intensity under the three polarization configurations and demonstrate that the latter two cases are equivalent to each other. Because the basal plane of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite（HOPG） exhibits isotropic feature and its edge plane is highly anisotropic, HOPG can be treated as a modelling system to study ARPR spectroscopy of twodimensional materials on their basal and edge planes. Therefore, we verify the ARPR behaviors of HOPG on its basal and edge planes at three different polarization configurations. The orientation direction of HOPG edge plane can be accurately determined by the angle-resolved polarization-dependent G mode intensity without rotating sample, which shows potential application for orientation determination of other anisotropic and vertically standing two-dimensional materials and other materials.