Metal–Dielectric Nanostructures for Enhancement of Molecular Fluorescence

Abstract

In metal–dielectric nanostructures with metal inhomogeneities of about 10–100 nm in size strong local concentration of electromagnetic radiation at the frequencies of the incident (primary) and emitted (secondary) radiation occurs simultaneously with a considerable increase of the rate of nonradiative transitions (fluorescence quenching). The general principles of the use of metal–dielectric nanostructures to enhance the fluorescence and the experimental use of these principles for organic molecules, including biomolecules with fluorescent labels, are examined.