Surface-enhanced Raman scattering at cryogenic substrate temperatures

The recent speculation on the possibility of achieving gigantic enhancement for surface-enhanced Raman scattering at cryogenic substrate temperatures is examined using a simple theoretical model. The surface-plasmon enhanceme nt mechanism is modeled using the Fermi-electron gas approach instead of th e Drude model as used previously in the literature. Due to the diminution o f substrate polarizability from quantum effects, it is concluded that drama tic enhancement is unlikely to be achieved by just cooling the surface to s uch low temperatures.