title: Enhanced fluorescence from periodic arrays of silver nanoparticles.
abstract: Electron beam lithography was used to fabricate silver nanoparticle arrays and study the effects of geometrical properties of particles on metal-enhanced fluorescence. Nanoparticle size, shape, interparticle spacing, and nominal thickness were varied in a combinatorial pattern for investigation of the particle plasmon resonance effect on enhancement of fluorescence from three different fluorophores; Fluorescein, Cy3, and Cy5. A specific geometric property for optimal enhancement from each fluorophore was determined. For interparticle spacings greater or equal to 270 nm, the enhancement matched what is expected for a single-particle model. For those particles smaller than 210 nm, the enhancement was lower than for the larger spacing in the range studied. Triangular-shaped particles gave similar enhancement to those of square-shaped particles. This combinatorial pattern by e-beam lithography was found to be useful for studying how individual parameters enhance the fluorescence that are important for rational design of enhanced fluorescence sensors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland and Laboratory for Physical Sciences, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Corrigan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Phaneuf
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szmacinski