Dual Functional Microcapsule based on Monodisperse Short PEG Amphiphile for Drug Encapsulation and Protein Affinity Controlled Release.

A short monodisperse poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and a neutral organic rotamer conjugate TEG-BTA-2 amphiphile was designed for the construction of a stimuli-responsive switchable self-assembled structure for drug encapsulation by noncovalent interaction and targeted controlled delivery. A short PEG, tetraethylene glycol (TEG) was covalently attached with a neutral organic rotamer benzothiazole dye (BTA-2) affording the neutral TEG-BTA-2 (<500 D). The TEG-BTA-2 is self-assembled into a microsphere in an aqueous medium, but remarkably undergoes morphology change switching to a rice-like microcapsule for curcumin encapsulation. Curcumin-loaded microcapsules were stable in an aqueous solution, however, were noticed disintegrating upon the addition of BSA protein. This is possibly due to an interaction with BSA protein leading to a protein affinity-controlled curcumin release in a neutral PBS buffer. Moreover, cell internalization of the neutral amphiphile TEG-BTA-2 into A549 cells was observed by fluorescence microscopy, providing an opportunity for application as a molecular vehicle for targeted drug delivery and monitoring.

Dual Excited State Proton Transfer Pathways in the Bifunctional Photoacid 6-Amino-2-naphtol.

This study investigates the photoacidity and excited state proton transfer (ESPT) pathways of a bifunctional molecule, 6-amino-2-naphthol (6N2OH), using absorption, steady-state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, and theoretical calculations. 6N2OH attains four different prototropic forms in the excited state (cation, neutral, anion, or zwitterion) depending on pH of the solution. Interestingly, ESPT at the OH site of the molecule can be controlled by the protonation state of the amino substituent. Conversion of the electron donating NH2 group to the electron withdrawing NH3+ group brings about a reduction of more than 7 pKa units for the deprotonation of OH in the excited state. Further, the position of the NH2 substituent on the naphthalene framework is found to play an important role in dictating the ESPT pathways of aminonaphthols. Unlike most aminonaphthol derivatives that undergo ESPT only at the OH site, akin to substituted naphthols, 6N2OH undergoes ESPT at both OH and NH3+ sites, indicating its similarity to substituted naphthols and substituted naphthylamines. ESPT at the NH3+ site resulting in cation ↔ neutral equilibrium of 6N2OH in the excited state is well-corroborated by comparative studies with another reference photoacid, 6-amino-2-methoxynaphthalene (6N2M). Correlation of the acidity constants of 6N2OH with the σp parameters according to the Hammett model reveals that while 6N2OH can be treated either as naphthol or as naphthylamine in the ground state, the structure-function correlation cannot be extrapolated directly in the excited state, thus highlighting the rich and complex photophysics of bifunctional photoacids.

Multiple Effects of an Anionic Cyclodextrin Macrocycle on the Reversible Isomerization of a Photoactive Guest Dye.

Understanding and controlling the reversible isomerization of photoactive molecules in order to obtain a tunable optical response is desirable for many photofunctional applications. This study describes the interesting effects of an anionic cyclodextrin host (sulfated-ßCD, SCD) on the photoisomerization and protonation equilibrium of an important hemicyanine dye (trans-4-[4-(dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide, DSP). The SCD host assists in unlocking the photoisomerization potential of DSP by promoting protonation of the dye. It also assists in stabilizing the cis isomer of the protonated dye, thereby significantly delaying the reverse cis to trans isomerization of DSPH+. Furthermore, the interplay of both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions in the complex formation of SCD with DSPH+ makes the reverse cis to trans isomerization of DSPH+ amenable to influence by the added salt. The stimuli-responsive reversible isomerization of SCD-DSPH+ is an interesting case from the perspective of chemical sensing or light operated functional materials with host-guest systems.

Titanium nitride as an alternative and reusable plasmonic substrate for fluorescence coupling.

The development of alternative plasmonic materials that can replace gold and silver is of long-standing interest in materials research. In this study, we have prepared and characterized thin films of TiN, an emerging plasmonic material, and examined its effectiveness for fluorescence coupling in metal-dielectric structures having TiN as the plasmonically active component. We have used a combination of experiment and reflectivity calculations to determine the nature and dispersion of the optical modes sustained by the metal-dielectric structures, which furthermore are adjustable by varying the thickness of the dielectric layer. Our results reveal that fluorophores placed on the TiN substrates can couple with the surface-plasmon mode and/or the waveguide modes supported by these structures, to provide polarized and directional emission over narrow angular ranges. The performance of TiN substrates for surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) and waveguide-coupled emission (WGCE) is found to be comparable with conventional Au substrates. Importantly, the TiN thin films are reusable, which is certainly advantageous for their use in SPCE or WGCE-based fluorescence sensing applications.

Supramolecular and suprabiomolecular photochemistry: a perspective overview.

In this perspective review article, we have attempted to bring out the important current trends of research in the areas of supramolecular and suprabiomolecular photochemistry. Since the spans of the subject areas are very vast, it is impossible to cover all the aspects within the limited space of this review article. Nevertheless, efforts have been made to assimilate the basic understanding of how supramolecular interactions can significantly change the photophysical and other related physiochemical properties of chromophoric dyes and drugs, which have enormous academic and practical implications. We have discussed with reference to relevant chemical systems where supramolecularly assisted modulations in the properties of chromophoric dyes and drugs can be used or have already been used in different areas like sensing, dye/drug stabilization, drug delivery, functional materials, and aqueous dye laser systems. In supramolecular assemblies, along with their conventional photophysical properties, the acid-base properties of prototropic dyes, as well as the excited state prototautomerization and related proton transfer behavior of proton donor/acceptor dye molecules, are also largely modulated due to supramolecular interactions, which are often reflected very explicitly through changes in their absorption and fluorescence characteristics, providing us many useful insights into these chemical systems and bringing out intriguing applications of such changes in different applied areas. Another interesting research area in supramolecular photochemistry is the excitation energy transfer from the donor to acceptor moieties in self-assembled systems which have immense importance in light harvesting applications, mimicking natural photosynthetic systems. In this review article, we have discussed varieties of these aspects, highlighting their academic and applied implications. We have tried to emphasize the progress made so far and thus to bring out future research perspectives in the subject areas concerned, which are anticipated to find many useful applications in areas like sensors, catalysis, electronic devices, pharmaceuticals, drug formulations, nanomedicine, light harvesting, and smart materials.

Kinetics and Energetics of Ultrafast Bimolecular Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reactions in Pluronic-Surfactant Supramolecular Assemblies.

Understanding the kinetics and energetics of photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reactions in constrained media has attracted considerable research interest, as constrained media provide a handle to tune the microenvironments and consequently the mechanisms of PET reactions. In this study, PET reactions between excited 7-aminocoumarin acceptors and ground-state N,N-dimethylaniline (DMAN) donor have been investigated in mixed micellar media composed of triblock copolymer, P123, and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with varying SDS-to-P123 molar ratios (n values). The objective is to elucidate the role of the n values in the rates and energetics of PET reactions over the entire time range from the subpicosecond to the subnanosecond domain, especially in regard to the applicability of the two-dimensional ET (2DET) mechanism. It is observed that by changing the n values, there is a significant change in the hydration characteristics of the SDS-P123 mixed micelles, which in turn changes the kinetics to energetic correlations for the PET reactions. Fluorescence from the excited coumarin acceptors undergoes substantial quenching due to PET from DMAN donor in all of the studied micelles as evidenced from steady-state, subnanosecond time-resolved (TR) and ultrafast (subpicosecond/femtosecond) fluorescence up-conversion measurements. The quenching rate constants (kq), estimated from subnanosecond TR fluorescence studies, and the individual component-wise decay rates (τi-1), estimated from up-conversion measurements, increase gradually with increasing n value, corroborating well with the sequentially increased micropolarity of the mixed micelles. Interestingly, it is observed that the correlations of either kq (from subnanosecond studies) or τi-1 (from femtosecond studies) with the reaction exergonicity (-ΔG°) show the noteworthy Marcus inversion (MI) behavior in a very consistent and similar manner for the entire time window, from subpicoseconds to subnanoseconds. The onset of MI always appears at an exergonicity (-ΔG°MI) much lower than solvent reorganization energy (λs), suggesting the involvement of 2DET mechanism throughout the subpicosecond to subnanosecond time domains. The present results thus provide a comprehensive picture of the kinetics and energetics of the PET reactions in constrained media for the whole time span and unequivocally establish the applicability of 2DET mechanism for the PET reactions in constrained media, eliminating any apprehensions about the effect of time resolution of the subnanosecond setup on the observed Marcus inversion behavior. This is indeed an important finding, providing valuable insights for PET reactions in constrained media, which has not been explored explicitly in any of the previous studies. Observation of MI behavior and the modulations in the PET reactions by simply changing the composition of SDS in the SDS-P123 mixed micelles are noteworthy findings of the present study and are expected to find suitable applications for better utilization and outcome of the PET reactions.

Photophysics and luminescence quenching of carbon dots derived from lemon juice and glycerol.

During the past decade, carbon dots have emerged as a fascinating class of luminescent nanomaterials with versatile application potentials in bioimaging, labeling, photocatalysis and optoelectronics. Currently, intensive research is concentrated on understanding the intriguing optical properties of these promising materials and their utility as luminescence sensors. In this article, we describe the photoluminescence of carbon dots obtained from a bioresource (lemon juice) and from a small molecule precursor (glycerol), especially the quenching of their emission by nitrobenzene and Hg2+ ions, as representative cases. Stern-Volmer analysis using steady-state and time-resolved emission measurements, suggests the involvement of both transient quenching and dynamic quenching mechanisms in the interaction of the carbon dots with nitrobenzene. The radius of the quenching sphere is estimated to be slightly greater than the contact distances between the respective carbon dots and nitrobenzene, which is in reasonable agreement with the "sphere of action" model for transient quenching. In the interaction with Hg2+ ions, electrostatic attraction plays a major role, and the quenching mechanism involves predominantly static and dynamic quenching. The static quenching constant matches well with the binding constant of the carbon dots with the metal ion.

An insight into the molecular and surface state photoluminescence of carbon dots revealed through solvent-induced modulations in their excitation wavelength dependent emission properties.

This study explores the intriguing modulations in the excitation wavelength dependence of carbon dot photoluminescence (PL), induced by the solvent medium. Our results indicate that different emissive states of carbon dots are stabilized to different extents by the surrounding solvent environment. Consequently, in some solvents, such as ethyl acetate and acetonitrile, the PL of the carbon dots is strongly dependent on the excitation wavelength, while in other solvents, like water, the PL of the same carbon dot becomes independent of the excitation wavelength. These observations contribute to the enhancement of our understanding of the photophysics and PL mechanisms of this important class of luminescent materials, especially to discriminate between the PL arising from the "molecular state" and the "surface state".

Effect of Ionic Liquids as Cosurfactants on Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Tetronic Micelles.

This study investigates the role of varying alkyl chain lengths of a series of surface-active 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C nMIm][BF4], n = 4, 6, and 10) ionic liquids (ILs) as cosurfactants in modifying the micellar characteristics of a tetronic star-block copolymer, T1304, and the consequent effects on bimolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET) reactions carried out in these T1304-IL mixed micellar systems. Using coumarin 153 as the probe dye and following ground-state absorption, steady-state fluorescence, and time-resolved emission measurements, the micropolarity, microviscosity, and solvent relaxation dynamics in the micellar palisade layer have been revealed both in pure T1304 and in T1304-IL systems. With increasing alkyl chain length of the ILs, the palisade layer of the micelles gradually becomes more polar and less viscous, suggesting better incorporation of the longer alkyl chain length ILs as cosurfactants into the T1304 micelles. The bimolecular PET reactions, involving 7-aminocoumarins as acceptors and N, N-dimethylaniline as the donor, are considerably modulated in T1304 micelles by the presence of the ILs, the effect being more prominent for ILs with longer alkyl chain lengths. In all of the micellar systems, correlations of the electron transfer (ET) kinetics with the reaction exergonicity (-Δ G0) show clear Marcus inversion (MI) behavior where onsets of MI invariably appear at significantly lower exergonicities, suggesting the involvement of a two-dimensional ET mechanism. Interestingly, the Marcus correlations display significant variations, namely, enhanced reaction rates and gradual shift in the onset of MI toward higher exergonicity, as longer alkyl chain length ILs are sequentially introduced as cosurfactants. From the observed results, it is convincingly realized that 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ILs can be used satisfactorily as cosurfactants in tetronic star-block copolymer solutions to modulate PET reactions very significantly for their better utilizations in suitable applied areas.

Excited-state prototropism of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin in [Cnmim][BF4] series of ionic liquid-water mixtures: insights on reverse micelle-like water nanocluster formation.

This study explores the excited state prototropic behavior of the fluorophore, 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (7H4MC), in the [Cnmim][BF4] (n = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) series of ionic liquid (IL)-water mixtures at low water contents. In pure IL media, 7H4MC exists in the neutral form in both ground and excited states. However, on addition of water to the ILs, the excited neutral form of the dye is gradually converted to the anionic and the tautomeric species, leading to characteristic changes in the emission spectra. The similarity in the spectral features of 7H4MC in the IL-water system with that in a conventional reverse micelle system rather than with organic solvent-water mixtures, suggests that in the presence of water, the ILs are organized into reverse micelle-like structures with the consequent formation of confined water pockets. The results further suggest that formation of water nanoclusters and the ensuing changes in excited state prototropic behavior of the dye, is facilitated by increase in the alkyl chain length of the IL cation. These propositions are supported by time-resolved fluorescence studies. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on proton transfer reaction in IL-water mixtures at low water contents. Considering that ILs are useful as solvents and surfactants, and IL-water mixtures in particular have applications in chemical extractions and biocatalysis, an understanding of the structural organization and water pool formation in these systems is quite important. The insights obtained from the prototropic transformations of 7H4MC are significant not only for fundamental self-assembly studies, but also for the development of ILs as chemical reaction media.

Inhibition of the prototropic tautomerism in chrysazine by p-sulfonatocalixarene hosts.

This study explores the interesting effect of p-sulfonatocalix[n]arene hosts (SCXn) on the excited-state tautomeric equilibrium of Chrysazine (CZ), a model antitumour drug molecule. Detailed photophysical investigations reveal that conversion of CZ from its more dipolar, excited normal form (N*) to the less dipolar, tautomeric form (T*) is hindered in SCXn-CZ host-guest complexes, which is quite unexpected considering the nonpolar cavity of the hosts. The atypical effect of SCXn is proposed to arise due to the partial inclusion or external binding of CZ with the hosts, which facilitates H-bonding interactions between CZ and the sulfonate groups present at the portals of the hosts. The intermolecular H-bonding subsequently leads to weakening of the pre-existing intramolecular H-bond network within CZ, and thus hinders the tautomerizaion process. Our results suggest that rather than the binding affinity, it is the orientation of CZ in the SCXn-CZ complexes, and its proximity to the portals of the host that plays a predominant role in influencing the tautomeric equilibrium. These observations are supported by quantum chemical calculations. Thermodynamic studies validate that SCXn-CZ interaction is essentially enthalpy driven and accompanied by small entropy loss, which is consistent with the binding mechanisms.

Excited State Interaction of Ruthenium (II) Imidazole Phenanthroline Complex [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ with 1,4-Benzoquinone: Simple Electron Transfer or Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer?

The unidirectional proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) from the excited state of Ru(II) imidazole phenanthroline complex [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ to 1,4-benzoquinone, was studied by steady-state (SS) and time-resolved (TR) fluorescence and transient absorption (TA) measurements. The pKa (9.7) and pKa * (8.6) values of the complex suggest that it behaves as a photoacid on excitation. The difference in the quenching rates obtained from SS and TR fluorescence studies indicate participation of both dynamic quenching and static quenching involving the hydrogen bonded ipH ligand of [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ with the 1,4-benzoquinone quencher, formed in the ground state. Within the hydrogen bonded complex, the ruthenium centre acts as the electron donor, while the ipH ligand acts as the proton donor to the hydrogen bonded 1,4-benzoquinone that acts simultaneously both as the electron and proton acceptor. It is proposed that the static quenching in the hydrogen bonded [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ -1,4-benzoquinone pairs occurs involving the PCET mechanism, while the dynamic quenching occurs through the simple ET mechanism, on diffusional encounter of the isolated 1,4-benzoquinone with the excited [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ complex. The occurrence of broad TA bands around 420-430 nm suggests formation of both 1,4-benzoquinone radical anion as well as the 1,4-benzosemiquinone radical by the interaction of excited [Ru(bpy)2 ipH]2+ with 1,4-benzoquinone, thus supporting the ET process in the studied system.

Tetronic Star Block Copolymer Micelles: Photophysical Characterization of Microenvironments and Applicability for Tuning Electron Transfer Reactions.

Detailed photophysical investigations have been carried out using a probe dye, coumarin-153 (C153), to understand the microenvironments of micelles formed by the newly introduced Tetronic star block copolymers, T1304 and T1307, having the same poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) block size but different poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block sizes. Ground state absorption, steady-state fluorescence, and time-resolved fluorescence measurements have been used to estimate the micropolarity, microviscosity, and solvation dynamics within the two micelles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on these important physicochemical parameters for this new class of the star block copolymer micelles. Our results indicate that T1307 micelle offers a relatively more polar and less viscous microenvironment in the corona region, compared to T1304. The effect of the two micellar systems has subsequently been investigated on the bimolecular photoinduced electron transfer (ET) reactions between coumarin dyes (electron acceptors) and aromatic amines (electron donors). On correlating the energetics and kinetics of the ET reactions, clear Marcus inversion (MI) behavior is observed in both of the micellar media. Interestingly, the ET rates for all of the donor-acceptor pairs are much higher in T1307 than in T1304, and the onset of MI also appears at a relatively higher exergenocity (-Δ G0) in the former micelle (∼0.45 eV for T1307) than the latter (∼0.37 eV for T1304). The effect of added NaCl salt studied selectively in T1307 micelle shows that the ET rate decreases significantly along with a shift in the onset of MI toward lower exergenocity region, so that in the presence of 2 M NaCl the system becomes quite comparable to T1304. On the basis of the observed results, it is realized that the micropolarity and hence the dynamics of the ET process can be tuned very effectively either by changing the constitution of the star block copolymer or by using a suitable additive as a modifier of the micellar microenvironment.

pH-Elicited Luminescence Functionalities of Carbon Dots: Mechanistic Insights.

Remarkable and systematic pH-dependent changes are observed in the absorption and emission spectra of carbon dots derived for the first time from lemon juice, a natural bioresource. Detailed photophysical studies of these novel carbon dots (henceforth termed LD), in conjunction with Fourier transform infrared spectra, reveal that among the two possible prototropic equilibria, phenol ↔ phenolate and carboxylic ↔ carboxylate, that occur at the surface of LD, it is the former that is actually coupled with the emissive moiety and directly involved in determining the nature of the electronic energy levels and the associated optical transitions. Apart from providing valuable mechanistic insights on the photoluminescence (PL) of carbon dots, the pH dependence of LD is also demonstrated to yield variable PL signals and perform elementary Boolean logic operations in response to chemical stimulants. The pH effect can therefore complement the optoelectronic functionalities of these promising luminescent nanomaterials and help in the future development of molecular devices and intelligent multianalyte detection systems.

Contrasting tunability of quinizarin fluorescence with p-sulfonatocalix[4,6]arene hosts.

This study reveals the intriguing modulations in the photophysics of quinizarin (QZ) on its interaction with p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SCX4) and p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene (SCX6) hosts. While the SCX6-QZ system shows the usual reduction in both fluorescence intensity and lifetime, the SCX4-QZ system shows a contrasting effect of enhancement in the fluorescence intensity and reduction in the fluorescence lifetime. Such a contrasting effect is not only unusual but also observed for the first time for any host-guest system. The observed results are justifiably correlated with the changes in both radiative and nonradiative decay rate constants for the SCX4-QZ system.

Intriguing Tautomerism of Lumichrome in Binary Aqueous Solvent Mixtures: Implications for Probing Microenvironments.

The water-assisted tautomerism of lumichrome (LC) in binary aqueous-organic solvent mixtures exhibits intriguing spectroscopic features. An especially striking and novel observation is the occurrence of an induction period or lag time for the evolution of the isoalloxazine form of LC from the excited alloxazine form. It is inferred that the observed lag time provides an overview of the changing H-bond network of the surrounding water molecules, at various compositions of the mixed solvent systems. The unique spectral changes for the water-assisted tautomerization of LC, along with the observed lag times, can offer exciting prospects for the use of LC as a promising site-specific probe, to examine complex aqueous microenvironments and active biological systems.

Directing fluorescence with plasmonic and photonic structures.

Fluorescence technology pervades all areas of chemical and biological sciences. In recent years, it is being realized that traditional fluorescence can be enriched in many ways by harnessing the power of plasmonic or photonic structures that have remarkable abilities to mold the flow of optical energy. Conventional fluorescence is omnidirectional in nature, which makes it difficult to capture the entire emission. Suitably designed emission directivity can improve collection efficiency and is desirable for many fluorescence-based applications like sensing, imaging, single molecule spectroscopy, and optical communication. By incorporating fluorophores in plasmonic or photonic substrates, it is possible to tailor the optical environment surrounding the fluorophores and to modify the spatial distribution of emission. This promising approach works on the principle of near-field interaction of fluorescence with spectrally overlapping optical modes present in the substrates. In this Account, we present our studies on directional emission with different kinds of planar metallic, dielectric, and hybrid structures. In metal-dielectric substrates, the coupling of fluorescence with surface plasmons leads to directional surface-plasmon-coupled emission with characteristic dispersion and polarization properties. In one-dimensional photonic crystals (1DPC), fluorophores can interact with Bloch surface waves, giving rise to sharply directional Bloch surface wave-coupled emission. The interaction of fluorescence with Fabry-Pérot-like modes in metal-dielectric-metal substrates and with Tamm states in plasmonic-photonic hybrid substrates provides beaming emission normal to the substrate surface. These interesting features are explained in the context of reflectivity dispersion diagrams, which provide a complete picture of the mode profiles and the corresponding coupled emission patterns. Other than planar substrates, specially fabricated plasmonic nanoantennas also have tremendous potential in controlling and steering fluorescence beams. Some representative studies by other research groups with various nanoantenna structures are described. While there are complexities to near-field interactions of fluorescence with plasmonic and photonic structures, there are also many exciting possibilities. The routing of each emission wavelength along a specific direction with a given angular width and polarization will allow spatial and spectral multiplexing. Directional emission close to surface normal will be particularly useful for microscopy and array-based studies. Application-specific angular emission patterns can be obtained by varying the design parameters of the plasmonic/photonic substrates in a flexible manner. We anticipate that the ability to control the flow of emitted light in the nanoscale will lead to the development of a new generation of fluorescence-based assays, instrumentation, portable diagnostics, and emissive devices.

Metal-ion-mediated assemblies of thiazole orange with cucurbit[7]uril: a photophysical study.

The formation of molecular superstructures by metal-ion-mediated noncovalent self-assembly has been demonstrated using the macrocycle, cucurbit[7]uril (CB7), and the dye, thiazole orange (TO), as building blocks. Interestingly, the association of these molecular building blocks can be tuned by the chemical environment, leading to self-assembled structures of different stoichiometries, which is supported by absorption, fluorescence, (1)H NMR, and AFM measurements. Most importantly, the self-assembly process of the CB7/TO/metal ion system is observed to be remarkably different for alkali (Na(+)) and alkaline earth (Ca(2+)) metal ions. Fluorescence enhancement is observed in the presence of Ca(2+) ions, which is attributed to the formation of short dimeric structures composed of two 1:1 CB7-TO complexes. Solution turbidity is detected in the presence of Na(+) ions, which is proposed to be due to the formation of extended structures by the assembly of many 1:1 CB7-TO complexes.

Surface-plasmon induced polarized emission from Eu(III)--a class of luminescent lanthanide ions.

The intrinsically unpolarized emission from luminescent Eu(III) ions is transformed to wavelength-resolved and sharply directional polarized emission by coupling with plasmonic and photonic modes present in metal-dielectric layered substrates. This nanoscale control over lanthanide luminescence can facilitate the design of novel emissive structures with potential technological applications.

Steering Fluorescence Emission with Metal-Dielectric-Metal Structures of Au, Ag and Al.

Directional control over fluorescence emission is important for improving the sensitivity of fluorescence based techniques. In recent years, plasmonic and photonic structures have shown great promise in shaping the spectral and spatial distribution of fluorescence, which otherwise is typically isotropic in nature and independent of the observation direction. In this work we have explored the potential of metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) structures composed of Au, Ag or Al in steering the fluorescence emission from various probes emitting in the NIR, Visible or UV/blue region. We show that depending on the optical properties of the metal and the thickness of the dielectric layer, the emission from randomly oriented fluorophores embedded within the MDM substrate is transformed into beaming emission normal to the substrate. Agreement of the observed angular emission patterns with reflectivity calculations reveals that the directional emission is due to the coupling of the fluorescence with the electromagnetic modes supported by the MDM structure.