Laser Ablation in Liquids as a Versatile Approach for the Synthesis of Hybrid Nanoparticles with Plasmonic and Magneto-Plasmonic SERS Applications

Abstract

The synthesis of nanomaterials with tunable optical and magnetic properties is essential for applications in nanomedicine, sensing, and bioimaging. This work explores Laser Ablation in Liquid (LASiS) as a clean and efficient method for producing hybrid nanoparticles for use as SERS (Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) substrates. We synthesize and characterize two types of hybrid nanoparticles: metallic Au-Ag alloys and core-shell Au-Fe(oxide) structures. The study demonstrates how LASiS enables the engineering of nanomaterials with enhanced properties for electric field amplification in vibrational spectroscopy, highlighting its potential as a versatile tool for nanobiophotonics applications through a unified experimental approach.