Rational side-by-side self-assembly of gold nanorods with short and medium aspect ratios the self-evaporation method to boost their potential as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) represents a compelling detection methodology centered on the electromagnetic fields, commonly termed "hot spots", generated around noble nanoparticles. Nonetheless, the efficacy of electromagnetic field (EMF) amplification is constrained when utilizing individual nanoparticles. There has been a notable lack of experimental and theoretically simulated studies regarding the increase of the electromagnetic field when gold nanorods with different aspect ratios undergo self-assembly in either perpendicular or parallel orientations to substrates.