Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active substrates from silver plated-porous silicon for detection of crystal violet

- Immersion plating of AgNPs on meso-porous silicon (PSi).
- Efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate towards crystal violet dye.
- Lower concentration of 100 pM and enhancement factor of 1.3 × 106 were achieved.
- The current PSi/AgNPs substrate exhibited good reproducibility and stability.
- The large enhancement was related to both electromagnetic and charge transfer mechanism.