title: A Comparison of Single-Molecule Emission in Aluminum and Gold Zero-Mode Waveguides.
abstract: The effect of gold and aluminum zero-mode waveguides (ZMWs) on the brightness of immobilized single emitters was characterized by probing fluorophores that absorb in the green and red regions of the visible spectrum. Aluminum ZMWs enhance the emission of Atto565 fluorophores upon green excitation, but they do not enhance the emission of Atto647N fluorophores upon red excitation. Gold ZMWs increase emission of both fluorophores with Atto647N showing enhancement that is threefold higher than that observed for Atto565. This work indicates that 200 nm gold ZMWs are better suited for single-molecule fluorescence studies in the red region of the visible spectrum, while aluminum appears more suited for the green region of the visible spectrum.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky , 505 Rose Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United States.
authors: W Elliott
authors: WE
authors: Martin
authors: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.
authors: Bernadeta R
authors: BR
authors: Srijanto
authors: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory , Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.
authors: C Patrick
authors: CP
authors: Collier
authors: Nano-science Center/Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen , Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Vosch
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky , 505 Rose Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United States.
authors: Christopher I
authors: CI
authors: Richards