An article was published in a special issue “Constantly expanding optics of single molecules and nanoparticles” in the Journal of Chemical Physics (Q1): N. P. Kovalets, E. P. Kozhina, I. V. Razumovskaya, S. A. Bedin, A. A. Piryazev, Yu. V. Grigoriev and A.V. Naumov. To single-molecular surface-enhanced raman scattering with novell-type metal surfaces synthesized by stretching metallized membranes with track etching // J. Chem. Phys. 2022. 156. 034902. DOI: 10.1063/5.0078451

The article investigates the effect of hyper-amplification of raman scattering (RAMAN) occurring on microcracks of metal deposition (silver and gold) of uniaxially stretched polymer membranes with track etching. Deformation of membranes with a combination of high surface density and small diameter of their pores leads to the development of many microcracks in the metal coating. Using the example of an organic compound of malachite green, the effectiveness of improving the RS (SERS) surface of synthesized metasurfaces was investigated and the possibility of recognizing extremely low fractions of the substance was demonstrated. An increase in the SERS signal was detected with an increase in the deformation of the samples and an even greater amplification after their unloading and relaxation. The experiment on strain under tension and relaxation of deformation of samples and the subsequent change in their electrical conductivity confirm the assumption that SERS appears at the edges of microcracks with a fairly small distance between their boundaries. The SERS technique for analyzing the formation of micro- and nanotracks on metal coatings is proposed.