Controlling the fluorescence lifetime of dyes in nanostructured geometries

In this paper we show that the coupling of common red/near infrared emitting dyes with a well-defined photonic environment, comparable to Drexhage's structure, is effective to enhance or inhibit the molecular spontaneous emission rate. The fluorescent dye molecules were adsorbed at the air-polystyrene interface and spaced at known distances (20-200 nm) from the polystyrene-silver interface. The experimental decay rates of molecules were successfully modelled using a classical electrodynamics model that treats the emitter as a forced, damped electric dipole oscillator interacting with its nanoenvironment through its near field. Our results help establish a basis for characterising near-fields in nano-optics and controlling fluorescing species. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.