Raman scattering of MoS₂ near gold nanoparticles

The Raman scattering of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has been studied. In the presence of gold nanoparticles, strong modifications of Raman spectra have been observed. The Raman frequencies have been shifted and the line profiles are broadened. We developed a theoretical model to explain the observed features of the Raman scattering. The model take into account self-consistently the interaction of molecules with surface plasmonic waves excited in the gold nanoparticles, and it provides a qualitative agreement with the observed Raman spectra. We have demonstrated that the using gold nanoparticles can increase sensitivity of the technique, and potentially it has a broader range of application to both spectroscopy and microscopy.