Table of contents

The table of content (main chapters + appendices) with section headings only is listed below. A more detailed listing with sub-section headings and page numbers can be viewed as a pdf file.

1. A quick overview of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

1.1 What is SERS? – Basic principles
1.2 SERS probes and SERS substrates
1.3 Other important aspects of SERS
1.4 Applications of SERS
1.5 The current status of SERS
1.6 Overview of the book content

2. Raman spectroscopy and related optical techniques

2.1 A brief introduction
2.2 Optical spectroscopy of molecules
2.3 Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy
2.4 Phenomenological approach to Raman scattering
2.5 Vibrations and the Raman tensor
2.6 Quantum (or semi-classical) approach to Raman scattering
2.7 Advanced aspects of vibrations in molecules
2.8 Summary

3. Introduction to plasmons and plasmonics

3.1 Plasmonics and SERS
3.2 The optical properties of noble metals
3.3 What are plasmons?
3.4 Surface plasmon-polaritons on planar interfaces
3.5 Localized surface plasmon-polaritons
3.6 Brief survey of plasmonics applications

4. SERS enhancement factors and related topics

4.1 Definition of the SERS enhancement factors
4.2 Experimental measurement of SERS enhancement factors
4.3 Overview of the main EM effects in SERS
4.4 Modified spontaneous emission
4.5 Formal derivation of SERS EM enhancements
4.6 Surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF)
4.7 Other EM effects in SERS
4.8 The chemical enhancement
4.9 Summary

5. Calculations of electromagnetic enhancements

5.1 Definition of the problem and approximations
5.2 Analytical tools and solutions
5.3 Numerical tools

6. EM enhancements and plasmon resonances: examples and discussion

6.1 Quenching and enhancement at planar surfaces
6.2 A simple example in detail: The metallic sphere
6.3 The effect of shape on the EM enhancements
6.4 Gap effects – junctions between particles
6.5 Additional effects
6.6 Factors affecting the EM enhancements: Summary

7. Metallic colloids and other SERS substrates

7.1 Metallic colloids for SERS
7.2 Characterization of SERS substrates
7.3 The stability of colloidal solutions
7.4 SERS with metallic colloids

8. Recent developments

8.1 Single-molecule SERS
8.2 Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS)
8.3 New substrates from nano-technology
8.4 Optical forces
8.5 Applications of SERS
8.6 Epilogue

A. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations for Raman spectroscopy

A.1 A brief introduction to DFT
A.2 Applications of DFT to Raman
A.3 Practical implementation
A.4 Examples of DFT calculations for SERS applications

B. The bond-polarizability model

B.1 Principle and implementation
B.2 A simple example in detail

C. A brief overview of Maxwell's equations in media

C.1 Maxwell's equations in vacuum
C.2 Maxwell's equations in media
C.3 Other aspects relevant to SERS and plasmonics

D. Lorentz model of the atomic/molecular polarizability

D.1 The Lorentz oscillator
D.2 Link with macroscopic properties
D.3 Summary

E. Dielectric function of gold and silver

E.1 Model dielectric function for silver
E.2 Model dielectric function for Au
E.3 Remarks on the model dielectric functions

F. Plane waves and planar interfaces

F.1 The plane wave electromagnetic fields
F.2 Plane waves at a single planar interface
F.3 Reflection/Refraction at a planar interface
F.4 Multi-layer interfaces
F.5 Dipole emission close to a planar interface

G. Ellipsoids in the electrostatic approximation

G.1 General case
G.2 Oblate spheroid (pumpkin)
G.3 Prolate spheroid (rugby ball)

H. Mie theory and its implementation

H.1 Introduction
H.2 The concepts of Mie theory
H.3 Basic formulas of Mie theory
H.4 Plane wave excitation of a sphere: The "original Mie theory"
H.5 Extensions of Mie theory
H.6 Example of implementation of Mie theory with Matlab