title: Fluorescence enhancement from nano-gap embedded plasmonic gratings by a novel fabrication technique with HD-DVD.
abstract: We demonstrate strong electromagnetic field enhancement from nano-gaps embedded in silver gratings for visible wavelengths. These structures fabricated using a store-bought HD-DVD worth $10 and conventional micro-contact printing techniques have shown maximum fluorescence enhancement factors of up to 118 times when compared to a glass substrate under epi-fluorescent conditions. The novel fabrication procedure provides for the development of a cost-effective and facile plasmonic substrate for low-level chemical and biological detection. Electromagnetic field simulations were also performed that reveal the strong field confinement in the nano-gap region embedded in the silver grating, which is attributed to the combined effect of localized as well as propagating surface plasmons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menke
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Cornish
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gangopadhyay
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Korampally
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangopadhyay
mesh_terms: D016250:Compact Disks; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005453:Fluorescence; D008422:Materials Testing; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D012834:Silver