Manifestation of a strong quadrupole interaction and peculiarities in the SERS and SEHRS spectra of 4,4'-bipyridine

Abstract

The paper analyzes Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) and Surface Enhanced Hyper Raman Scattering (SEHRS) spectra of 4,4'-bypiridine molecule for two possible geometries, which are described by D₂ and D_2h symmetry groups. It is pointed out on appearance of sufficiently strong lines, caused by vibrations with the unit irreducible representation for both possible configurations. Appearance of these lines in the SEHRS spectrum points out the existence of a strong quadrupole light-molecule interaction. In addition one observes the lines, caused by vibrations both with the unit irreducible representations A or A_g and the irreducible representation B₁ or B_1u. The last ones describe transformational properties of the d_z component of the dipole moment, which is perpendicular to the surface. This property of the spectrum is caused by peculiarity of the geometry of the molecule, which consists of two benzene rings, which are weakly connected with each other. The linear combinations of the vibrations of the rings create two nearly degenerated symmetric and anti symmetrical states, which cannot be identified in the experimental spectra. The result is in a full agreement with the dipole-quadrupole theory of SERS and SEHRS.