Organic and inorganic semiconducting materials-based SERS: recent developments and future prospects

Abstract

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with high sensitivity/selectivity is a powerful analytical tool and has been widely used, particularly in the fields of chemistry, spectroscopy, molecular detection, food safety, anti-counterfeiting, and environmental monitoring. Conventional SERS detection relies on plasmonic materials (e.g., Au and Ag nanostructures) with exceedingly high enhancement factors up to 10¹². However, these substrates encounter significant limitations, including poor reproducibility, high cost, lack of selectivity, limited SERS active area leading to inconsistent field enhancement and SERS signals, and the possibility of the photothermal decomposition of the analyte species. These drawbacks have the potential to impede detection accuracy and hinder large-scale practical applications. This review focuses on alternative approaches based on noble metal-free SERS substrates. Considering recent advancements in the field of SERS active platforms, we first introduce the implementation of inorganic compounds, including metal oxides, transition metal sulfides/-selenides/-tellurides, 2-D layered transition metal carbides and nitrides (Mxenes), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), and single elemental inorganic materials for Raman signal enhancement applications. In the second part of the review, we highlight the fast-growing field of SERS-active organic platforms. Moreover, we discuss the promises and challenges for the future direction of organic and inorganic material-based SERS.