Plasmon-enhanced two-photon excitation fluorescence of rhodamine 6G and an Eu-diketonate complex by a picosecond diode laser

Abstract

Two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) of rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) and tris(dibenzoylmethane) mono(5-aminophenanthroline) europium (Eu-TDPA) was measured using a pulsed diode laser head (<45 mW, 975 nm, 90 ps pulse width, 40 MHz). Fluorophores were cast on a glass slide modified with triangular silver nanoprisms. A photon-counting photomultiplier detected the TPEF of Rh6G on a glass substrate (1361 Hz) and on the nanoprisms (6322 Hz). On the other hand, Eu-TDPA did not exhibit TPEF on a glass substrate. TPEF was only observed when the extinction of the nanoprisms on the substrates was larger than 0.1. The nanoprisms enhanced the TPEF of these two fluorophores up to the detectable level using a low-power laser diode.