Plasmonic coupling on dielectric nanowire core-metal sheath composites.

We have developed dielectric core/metal sheath nanowire (NW) composites for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), in which an electroless (EL) Ag plating approach was employed. The NW surface was uniformly covered with a high density of 3D silver islands, having a diameter in the 20-30 nm range and spaced less than approximately 10 nm apart. In comparison with the silver deposition via e-beam evaporation, the EL coating approach has the advantage of full metal coverage of the NWs. This approach also provides a fast and simple way to completely cover any nanostructures with Ag, including nanowires, regardless of the orientation or shape. SERS measurements were performed using benzene thiol and the SERS signal strength of the EL-coated NW composites was significantly greater than expected, since the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of 20 nm Ag nanospheres is weak and in the UV, while our measurements were performed using a 514.5 nm laser line. However, we have modeled this system using our electric field calculations and the results indicate that the strong SERS signal is due to plasmonic coupling of neighboring closely spaced islands, as well as an enhanced substrate effect. In addition, the nanowire core serves as a template for the formation of these small, closely spaced Ag islands, resulting in the strong SERS signal.