Highly directional fluorescence emission from dye molecules embedded in a dielectric layer adjacent to a silver film

We report measurements on the angular radiation patterns from dye molecules embedded in a polymethyl methacrylate thin film spin-coated on a thin silver film. We systematically studied the influence of the thickness of the silver films and the thickness of the dielectric layers on the radiation pattern. We present the detailed radiation patterns over a large angular range showing highly polarized fluorescence emission coupled into the surface plasmon modes or waveguide modes. We also studied the influence of the polarization of the excitation beam on the radiation patterns. The experimental data are compared with numerical simulations using an asymptotic approach based on the Lorentz reciprocity theorem.