Ordered 2-D arrays of silver nanoparticles encapsulated by alumina for applications to plasmonic sensors

Ordered 2-D arrays of silver nanoparticles encapsulated by anodic alumina have been fabricated electrochemically to demonstrate reliable, durable, reproducible, and high sensitivity sensing by means of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of micro- and nano-materials including inorganic and organic molecules. In this paper, fabrication process of the sensor and its applications to detection and identification of R6G and adenine molecules and the measurement of the molecular concentration will be presented. This novel sensor combines the excellent intrinsic performance of silver plasmon resonance and the effective isolation of silver from harsh environments by alumina encapsulation to achieve high performance and long-term reliability.