Raman scattering in high-refractive-index nanostructures

Abstract

The advent of resonant dielectric nanomaterials has provided a new path for concentrating and manipulating light on the nanoscale. Such high-refractive-index materials support a diverse set of low-loss optical resonances, including Mie resonances, anapole states, and bound states in the continuum. Through these resonances, high-refractive-index materials can be used to engineer the optical near field, both inside and outside the nanostructures, which opens up new opportunities for Raman spectroscopy. In this review, we discuss the impact of high-refractive-index nano-optics on Raman spectroscopy. In particular, we consider the intrinsic Raman enhancement produced by different dielectric resonances and their theoretical description. Using the optical reciprocity theorem, we derive an expression which links the Raman enhancement to the enhancement of the stored electric energy. We also address recent results on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy based on high-refractive-index dielectric materials along with applications in stimulated Raman scattering and nanothermometry. Finally, we discuss the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for detecting the optical near-fields produced by dielectric resonances, complementing reflection and transmission measurements.