Three types of Ag-coated arrays from porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) were prepared and studied as substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). They were compared with Ag-coated porous silicon (PSi) samples.
The resulting metallic nanostructures were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. SERS activity of the substrates was tested using water-soluble cationic Zn(II)-tetrakis (4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin (ZnTMPyP4) as a probe molecule.