Gold nanodisc arrays as near infrared metal-enhanced fluorescence platforms with tuneable enhancement factors
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF) is a physical effect through which the near-field interaction of fluorophores with metallic nanoparticles can lead to large fluorescence enhancement. MEF can be exploited in many fluorescence-based biomedical applications, with potentially significant improvement in detection sensitivity and contrast enhancement. Offering lower autofluorescence and minimal photoinduced damage, the development of effective and multifunctional MEF platforms in the near-infrared (NIR) region, is particularly desirable. In this work, the enhancement of NIR fluorescence caused by interaction with regular arrays of cylindrical gold (Au) nanoparticles (nanodiscs), fabricated through nanosphere lithography, is reported. Significant MEF of up to 235 times is obtained, with tuneable enhancement factors. The effect of array structure on fluorescence enhancement is investigated by semi-quantitatively de-convoluting excitation enhancement from emission enhancement, and modelling the local electric field enhancement. By considering arrays of Au nanodiscs with the same extinction maximum, it is shown that the excitation enhancement, due to increased electric field, is not significantly different for the particle sizes and separation distances considered. Rather, it is seen that the emission from the fluorophore is strongly enhanced, and is dependent on the topography, in particular particle size. The results show that the structural characteristics of Au nanodisc arrays can be manipulated to tune their enhancement factor, and hence their sensitivity.
Date Issued
2016-12-28
Date Acceptance
2016-12-23
Citation
Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2016, 5, pp.917-925
ISSN
2050-7534
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Start Page
917
End Page
925
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Volume
5
Copyright Statement
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2017
Sponsor
Kaust UK Ltd
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Kaust UK Ltd
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
British Council (UK)
Grant Number
N/A
EP/G060940/1
N/A
EP/K503381/1
216239013
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Applied
Materials Science
Physics
AU NANOSTRUCTURES
NANOSCALE CONTROL
DYES
NANOPARTICLES
EMISSION
NANOSHELLS
DEPENDENCE
Publication Status
Published