Hill, Ryan TMock, Jack JUrzhumov, YaroslavSebba, David SOldenburg, Steven JChen, Shiuan-YehLazarides, Anne AChilkoti, AshutoshSmith, David R2011-06-212010-10-13https://hdl.handle.net/10161/4095The strongly enhanced and localized optical fields that occur within the gaps between metallic nanostructures can be leveraged for a wide range of functionality in nanophotonic and optical metamaterial applications. Here, we introduce a means of precise control over these nanoscale gaps through the application of a molecular spacer layer that is self-assembled onto a gold film, upon which gold nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited electrostatically. Simulations using a three-dimensional finite element model and measurements from single NPs confirm that the gaps formed by this process, between the NP and the gold film, are highly reproducible transducers of surface-enhanced resonant Raman scattering. With a spacer layer of roughly 1.6 nm, all NPs exhibit a strong Raman signal that decays rapidly as the spacer layer is increased.en-USGoldLightNanoparticlesNanostructuresNanotechnologySpectrum Analysis, RamanStatic Electricity