Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) is a cutting-edge analytical technique that combines the power of Raman spectroscopy with apertureless near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM). It uses a metallic tip that resonates with the local mode of the surface plasmon to enhance Raman signals by several orders of magnitude. This leads to the detection of weak vibrational modes that are not observable by conventional Raman spectroscopy. TERS has found numerous applications in various fields. In chemistry, TERS has been used to study catalytic reactions and investigate the properties of single molecules. In nanotechnology, TERS enables imaging of the structural and chemical properties of nanomaterials. TERS also has potential applications in medical diagnostics and therapeutics, as it allows the detection and analysis of biomolecules in high sensitivity and non-destructive manner. In biomedicine, TERS is used to investigate biomolecules, such as proteins, DNA, and lipids, at single-molecule level. In this Chapter, the history, basic principle, common experiment setup, application, and outlook of TERS technology are discussed.