Abstract Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) provides orders-of-magnitude signal enhancement, making it a highly sensitive technique for identifying chemical species across a wide range of applications. Over the past decade, SERS has been increasingly applied to study the thin and highly heterogeneous layers of chemical species that form on the surface of electrodes in Li–O2 and Li-ion batteries. Performing in situ/operando SERS enables direct probing of these interfacial species that are otherwise difficult to detect, providing valuable insight into their formation mechanisms and their impact on battery performance. Thus, this review aims to advance understanding of SERS in Li–O2 and Li-ion batteries by discussing the fundamental mechanisms underlying signal enhancement, the modifications required to adapt batteries for SERS measurements, and the key insights gained from these investigations.
Szeto et al. (2026) studied this question.