Dipole-Dipole Non-Radiative Energy Transfer Mediated by Surface Plasmons on a Metallic Interface

Abstract

We have investigated the surface plasmon-mediated energy transfer between two optically active ions in vacuum near a metallic surface using methods of molecular quantum electrodynamics. We have studied the electric dipole-electric dipole energy transfer process only, this being the most dominant mechanism in interionic interaction between two ions in a medium when their wavefunctions do not significantly overlap. The matrix elements for energy transfer, hence energy transfer rates, are calculated using two classes of Feynman diagrams. The intermediate states for one class of diagrams do not satisfy the energy conservation principle, hence they are purely virtual states. Of particular interest are the dependencies of the energy transfer process on (1) the relative positions of the ions with respect to one another projected onto the interface and (2) the distance of each ion from the metal surface. The overall energy transfer process has been found to have both the short range and long-range components, the former being driven by virtual plasmons and the latter by the real plasmons in a non-lossy medium.

Effects of Intrinsic Local Fields on Molecular Fluorescence and Energy Transfer: Dipole Mechanisms and Surface Potentials

“…Following pioneering work by several other research groups, − their work emphasizes that the presence of the metal surface does not always enhance RET, and may suppress it in the “dipole in plane” configuration; the effect is broadly consistent with the simple image dipole model. It may be anticipated that another very recent development of a quantum electrodynamical approach to this topic may further help to consolidate the fundamental theory …”

“…It may be anticipated that another very recent development of a quantum electrodynamical approach to this topic may further help to consolidate the fundamental theory. 52 To continue with a configuration of dipoles aligned perpendicularly to the plane in which they reside: the fields experienced by the donor and acceptor may be cast as…”