arrow
Return

Atomically Precise Nanoclusters as SERS Probes

delete2026-03-13
delete0
PRE
AI
S
Sujan Manna
A
Anant Onkar Bhasin
V
Vivek Yadav
S
Soham Chowdhury
S
Samapti Mondal
S
Sajal Kumar Giri
T
Tomáš Baše *
G
George C. Schatz *
T
T. Pradeep *
DOI:10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c05462delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Atomically precise nanoclusters (NCs) exhibit molecule-like fingerprints, yet their Raman response is usually buried under intense luminescence. Herein, we report the use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to probe the molecular nature of the stable eight-electron silver NC, [Ag17(o1-carboranethiolate)12]3– (abbreviated as Ag17), by integrating it with plasmonic gold nanotriangles (Au NTs), forming an Ag17@Au NT nanohybrid. This is the first demonstration of an atomically precise NC functioning as a stable next-generation Raman probe under harsh laser conditions. Synergistic electromagnetic (EM) and chemical enhancement (CE) mechanisms yield an overall enhancement factor of up to ∼6 × 105, with ∼2 × 102 attributed to CE, consistent with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. TDDFT reproduces the observed spectra and reveals low-lying hybrid charge-transfer excited states, underpinning the CE pathway. Plasmonic confinement and charge transfer cooperatively amplify the Raman scattering of the Ag–Ag bonds and carborane framework at the nanoscale junctions of the Ag17@Au NT nanohybrid.
Keywords:
Gold
Nanoclusters
Nanohybrids
Plasmonics
Raman spectroscopy
nanoclusters
surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
chemical enhancement
nanohybrid
anisotropic nanoparticles

Journal

Nano Letters cover
Nano Letters
IF:
9.1
Papers:
2.7W
Citations:
16.5W

Organization

N
northwestern university
Scholars:
4.5K
Papers: 1.8K
Citations: 1
T
the czech academy of sciences
Scholars:
52
Papers: 19
Citations: 0
B
brandeis university
Scholars:
314
Papers: 170
Citations: 0
I
indian institute of technology madras
Scholars:
812
Papers: 326
Citations: 0
researcher View more organizations