SERS Substrate Enhancement Factor (SSEF) determination using Gas Chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC–MS): A simplified approach

Abb V, Penn T, Melekhov E, Weidauer T, Reichenstein T, Franke J, Lechner A, Kammler M (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Analytica Chimica Acta Elsevier Masson

Book Volume: 1410

Article Number: 345608

DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2026.345608

Abstract

The “SERS Substrate Enhancement Factor” (SSEF) is one of the most precise metrics for the quantification of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factors (EFs). However, a major challenge in determining the SSEF lies in accurately quantifying the number of molecules contributing to the measured intensities in both SERS and conventional Raman measurements, denoted as NSERS and NRaman. Here, we present a method to quantify NSERS using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) by measuring the residual concentrations of analyte molecules in the solutions used to immerse the SERS substrates. Significant differences in analyte concentration were observed due to adsorption onto the SERS surfaces, which translates to NSERS. 4-Methylbenzenethiol (4-MBT) was selected as an analyte substance due to its strong interaction with the gold and silver surfaces of the SERS substrates. To determine NRaman, a highly concentrated solution of 4-MBT in diethyl ether was measured. We describe in detail the optical calculations used to determine the “Effective Excitation Volume” Veff, which is probed during the conventional Raman measurement and how NRaman was derived from Veff. Sixteen SERS substrates with varying preparation parameters were fabricated according to a full factorial experimental design and their SERS performance was compared using the SSEF. For SERS substrate fabrication, quartz wafers were structured via thermal dewetting in combination with reactive ion etching. The measurement technique proposed in this work significantly simplifies the otherwise demanding quantification of NSERS and NRaman, thereby rendering the precise quantification of SERS enhancements based on the SSEF readily accessible.

Authors with CRIS profile

Tobias Reichenstein Lehrstuhl für Fertigungsautomatisierung und Produktionssystematik (FAPS) Jörg Franke Lehrstuhl für Fertigungsautomatisierung und Produktionssystematik (FAPS)

Involved external institutions

Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg (OTH) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Abb, V., Penn, T., Melekhov, E., Weidauer, T., Reichenstein, T., Franke, J.,... Kammler, M. (2026). SERS Substrate Enhancement Factor (SSEF) determination using Gas Chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC–MS): A simplified approach. Analytica Chimica Acta, 1410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2026.345608

MLA:

Abb, Valerius, et al. "SERS Substrate Enhancement Factor (SSEF) determination using Gas Chromatography–Mass spectrometry (GC–MS): A simplified approach." Analytica Chimica Acta 1410 (2026).

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