Simulation and Analysis of the Effect of Parameters on the Spectral Response of Electric Field Enhancement Factor in the Proposed AFM-TERS System

Subject Areas : Renewable energy

Mohsen Katebi Jahromi ¹ , Rahim Ghayour ^{2 *} , Zahra Adelpour ³

1 - Department of Electrical Engineering- Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of Electrical Engineering- Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
3 - Department of Electrical Engineering- Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2021-07-15 Accepted : 2021-09-21 Published : 2021-08-23

Keywords: Atomic Force Microscopy, tip apex, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS),

Abstract :

One of the most important advances in Raman spectroscopy in recent years has been its integration with scanning probe microscopes (SPM), especially atomic force microscopes (AFM). Currently, AFM is recognized as one of the best imaging methods for studying the distribution of heterogeneous surface in nanoscale dimensions. Scientists are now focused on obtaining more enhancement factor of electric field, to the extent that detection and mapping of only one molecule has become possible with this method. Therefore, spatial resolution is being improved in detecting sub-molecule levels. In this paper, using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) calculation method, the effect of changing the parameters of the probe such as cone angle, tip radius and its material on the electric field intensity near the apex of the probe is investigated. In addition, the effect of polarization of light on the increase of electric field has been analyzed. The simulation results obtained for different cone angles show that the cone angle of 30 degree creates the highest amount of electric field enhancement factor at the tip apex. Furthermore, the use of laser source with radially polarized light and the use of substrate are very effective factors on improving the electric field enhancement factor. Finally, the maximum value of electric field enhancement factor of the proposed configuration is 3.2×104, where this value has been improved significantly comparing to the results reported in the previous papers published in this field.

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