Particle-size-dependent fluorescence enhancements and dynamics on homogeneous silver nanosurfaces show a strong dependence on the spectral properties of surface plasmons.

Metal-enhanced fluorescence of carotenoids, all- trans -β-carotene and 8′-apo-β-carotene-8′-al dispersed in thin layers of polystyrene and polyethylene glycol were investigated by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The weak emission signals of carotenoids in polymer films were increased by 4–40 times in the presence of a silver island film and the emission lifetimes of both carotenoids were measured as significantly shortened. The energy transfer from the intermediate states of carotenoids to the silver islands and the subsequent surface plasmon coupled emission were proposed for the mechanisms of metal-enhanced fluorescence. The fluorescence enhancements of carotenoids in the polymer films were also investigated statistically over a wide area of the silver island films.

Single-molecule DNA visualization with fluorescent protein DNA binding peptides.

Silver colloidal films (SCFs) composed of homogeneous silver nanoparticles of 59-219 nm were synthesized for optimal fluorescence enhancement of chromophores with the dipole and quadrupole surface plasmons. Three chromophores whose...