Abstract
π-Conjugated organic semiconductors have been explored in several optoelectronic devices, yet their use in molecular detection as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active platforms is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that SERS-active, superhydrophobic and ivy-like nanostructured films of a molecular semiconductor, α,ω-diperfluorohexylquaterthiophene (DFH-4T), can be easily fabricated by vapour deposition. DFH-4T films without any additional plasmonic layer exhibit unprecedented Raman signal enhancements up to 3.4 × 103 for the probe molecule methylene blue. The combination of quantum mechanical computations, comparative experiments with a fluorocarbon-free α,ω-dihexylquaterthiophene (DH-4T), and thin-film microstructural analysis demonstrates the fundamental roles of the π-conjugated core fluorocarbon substitution and the unique DFH-4T film morphology governing the SERS response. Furthermore, Raman signal enhancements up to ∼1010 and sub-zeptomole (<10-21 mole) analyte detection were accomplished by coating the DFH-4T films with a thin gold layer. Our results offer important guidance for the molecular design of SERS-active organic semiconductors and easily fabricable SERS platforms for ultrasensitive trace analysis.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 918-924 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Nature Materials |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sep 1 2017 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering
Cite this
Nanostructured organic semiconductor films for molecular detection with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. / Yilmaz, Mehmet; Babur, Esra; Ozdemir, Mehmet; Gieseking, Rebecca L.; Dede, Yavuz; Tamer, Ugur; Schatz, George C; Facchetti, Antonio; Usta, Hakan; Demirel, Gokhan.
In: Nature Materials, Vol. 16, No. 9, 01.09.2017, p. 918-924.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Nanostructured organic semiconductor films for molecular detection with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
AU - Yilmaz, Mehmet
AU - Babur, Esra
AU - Ozdemir, Mehmet
AU - Gieseking, Rebecca L.
AU - Dede, Yavuz
AU - Tamer, Ugur
AU - Schatz, George C
AU - Facchetti, Antonio
AU - Usta, Hakan
AU - Demirel, Gokhan
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - π-Conjugated organic semiconductors have been explored in several optoelectronic devices, yet their use in molecular detection as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active platforms is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that SERS-active, superhydrophobic and ivy-like nanostructured films of a molecular semiconductor, α,ω-diperfluorohexylquaterthiophene (DFH-4T), can be easily fabricated by vapour deposition. DFH-4T films without any additional plasmonic layer exhibit unprecedented Raman signal enhancements up to 3.4 × 103 for the probe molecule methylene blue. The combination of quantum mechanical computations, comparative experiments with a fluorocarbon-free α,ω-dihexylquaterthiophene (DH-4T), and thin-film microstructural analysis demonstrates the fundamental roles of the π-conjugated core fluorocarbon substitution and the unique DFH-4T film morphology governing the SERS response. Furthermore, Raman signal enhancements up to ∼1010 and sub-zeptomole (<10-21 mole) analyte detection were accomplished by coating the DFH-4T films with a thin gold layer. Our results offer important guidance for the molecular design of SERS-active organic semiconductors and easily fabricable SERS platforms for ultrasensitive trace analysis.
AB - π-Conjugated organic semiconductors have been explored in several optoelectronic devices, yet their use in molecular detection as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active platforms is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that SERS-active, superhydrophobic and ivy-like nanostructured films of a molecular semiconductor, α,ω-diperfluorohexylquaterthiophene (DFH-4T), can be easily fabricated by vapour deposition. DFH-4T films without any additional plasmonic layer exhibit unprecedented Raman signal enhancements up to 3.4 × 103 for the probe molecule methylene blue. The combination of quantum mechanical computations, comparative experiments with a fluorocarbon-free α,ω-dihexylquaterthiophene (DH-4T), and thin-film microstructural analysis demonstrates the fundamental roles of the π-conjugated core fluorocarbon substitution and the unique DFH-4T film morphology governing the SERS response. Furthermore, Raman signal enhancements up to ∼1010 and sub-zeptomole (<10-21 mole) analyte detection were accomplished by coating the DFH-4T films with a thin gold layer. Our results offer important guidance for the molecular design of SERS-active organic semiconductors and easily fabricable SERS platforms for ultrasensitive trace analysis.
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U2 - 10.1038/nmat4957
DO - 10.1038/nmat4957
M3 - Article
VL - 16
SP - 918
EP - 924
JO - Nature Materials
JF - Nature Materials
SN - 1476-1122
IS - 9
ER -