Direct patterning of silver colloids by microcontact printing: possibility as SERS substrate array

Abstract

The present study describes an easy and clean method that makes the pattern of silver colloids by means of microcontact printing. Hydrophilic silver colloids adsorbed on a hydrophobic poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) stamp are transferred directly to the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 4-mercaptopyridine or aminoethanethiol (AET) on an Au-coated silicon substrate. To adsorb silver colloids on the PDMS stamp successfully, adhesion layers such as poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and stearic acid were pre-treated onto the PDMS stamp. Finally, we obtained a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum and image of rhodamine 6G (R6G) on the patterned silver colloids. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.