Zachary D. Schultz

In this edition of “Inside the Laboratory,” we profile the Schultz Laboratory at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, speaking with Zac Schultz, Spencer Witte, Nishadi Nadeeshani, and Renee Romano about their work.

At SciX, Zac Schultz of The Ohio State University sat down with Spectroscopy to discuss his work characterizing molecular interactions with localization microscopy techniques, as well as give his thoughts about how spectrally resolved surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) imaging will impact in vitro cell imaging and other application areas.

An inside look at the fundamentals of Raman microscopy and how Raman can be utilized in chemical imaging and analysis, from its inception to modern applications.

In SERS experiments, the excitation laser power needs to be kept at a level that enables detection but avoids damaging the sample, as these examples illustrate.

SERS offers many advantages. However, there are several issues to be aware of when trying to use SERS signals in analytical applications.

In celebration of Spectroscopy’s 35th Anniversary, leading spectroscopists discuss important issues and challenges in analytical spectroscopy.

The SERS signal arises from the combination of the number of molecules, the polarizability or cross-section of the molecule, and the electric field experienced by the molecules. Understanding how these variables interact to generate the SERS response is the key to applying SERS accurately.

The morphology and gap spacing of nano-island film SERS substrates are key factors defining the properties of analyte‒substrate interactions. These results of the study described here have implications for understanding signal variation in SERS and in designing future SERS assays.