Rapid SERS Analysis: From Laboratory to Real Sample

On the 50th anniversary of the discovery of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), numerous reviews highlighted SERS advancements from different aspects, such as the historical evolution, enhancement mechanisms, quantitative analysis, and medical applications. However, how to develop the rapid SERS analysis for real samples has rarely been summarized yet. This review highlights the following three pivotal steps in this direction: (1) establishing reliable and highly selectively sensitive SERS analysis in the laboratory; (2) developing rapid sample pretreatment; and (3) AI-enhanced qualitative and quantitative SERS analysis.