Shape-Controlled Hierarchical Flowerlike Au Nanostructure Microarrays by Electrochemical Growth for Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Application

How to fabricate Au nanostructures conveniently on micro/nanostructured arrays surface with low cost has become a crucial and urgent challenge. In this study, we demonstrate hierarchical flowerlike Au nanostructures with rich nano thorns (HF-AuNTs) through one-step electrochemical deposition. The morphology of the HF-AuNTs is easily manipulated via controlling applied po-tential or precursor solution concentration of electrodeposition. The as-prepared HF-AuNTs possessing unique local morphology of thin petals and dense thorns, are further applied in the Si micro-pit arrays to acquire HF-AuNTs microarrays. As an initial detection, these HF-AuNTs microarrays exhibit a fascinating surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) consistency (relative standard deviation, RSD=7.17%) and sensitivity with the limitation of crystal violet (CV) reaching to 10-10 M, and rhodamine 6G (R6G) reaching to 10-11 M. The HF-AuNTs microarrays with well-defined shape and elaborate structure may be applicated in SERS sub-strates, superhydrophobic materials, and so on.