Metal nanoisland films for the enhancement of the chemico-physical properties of molecular adsorbates

This contribution is aimed at describing the most recent activity carried out in the labs of ISC-CNR Florence concerning preparation and spectroscopic investigation of two dimensional silver and gold metal nanostructures (metal nanoisland films - MeNIFs), with particular focus on the role played by the morphology of the metal dielectric interfaces on the control and enhancement of the properties of different molecular adsorbates, i.e. fluorescence emission and Raman response. In particular, it shows how the fabrication procedure of Au nanoisland films permits fine tuning of the extinction spectrum of the nanostructures and controlled enhancement of the Raman response of a novel thiol-functionalized fluorophore.