Semiconducting Tungsten Trioxide Thin Films for High-Performance SERS Biosensors

Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) enables ultrasensitive detection but is often hindered by biocompatibility and sustainability concerns due to its reliance on noble metal substrates. To overcome these limitations, we develop a semiconductor-based SERS platform utilizing ultrathin tungsten trioxide (WO₃) nanofilms synthesized via a facile annealing process on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). This system achieves an impressive Raman enhancement factor of 1.36 × 10⁶, enabling ultrasensitive detection of rhodamine 6G (R6G) and methylene blue (MB) at ultralow concentrations, surpassing conventional metal-based SERS platforms. It is further suggested that this is a substrate that can be easily coupled to other metals. An application for the detection of adenine molecules is realized through layered WO₃-Au NPs composites, where embedded gold nanoparticles act as plasma "hot spots" to amplify the sensitivity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and band structure analysis confirm that synergistic interface charge transfer and naturally formed oxygen vacancies enhance performance. By combining semiconductor compatibility with other metal amplification, this WO₃-based SERS platform offers a sustainable and high-performance alternative to conventional substrates, paving the way for environmentally friendly and scalable Raman sensing technologies.