Plasmonic substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering

As an advanced analytical tool, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has broad applications in identification of colorants in paints and glazes, hazard detection to ensure food safety, biomedicine and diagnosis, environmental monitoring, detection of explosives and forensic science. In this review, main types of plasmonic substrates, which include solid substrate with metallic nanostructures and chemically synthesized noble metal colloids, and their fabrication methods are reviewed. The design principles for fabrication of ultrasensitive plasmonic substrates for SERS are presented on the basis of published literature. Finally, various applications of SERS substrates are described, indicating the potential of this technique in practical applications. As an ultrasensitive detection method, SERS is at the core of a rapidly expanding research field. - Highlights: • Main types of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates are reviewed. • The applications of SERS in five different fields are introduced. • The principles for the design of SERS substrates are outlined and discussed.