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Ultraviolet surface plasmon-coupled emission using thin aluminum films.
Ignacy Gryczynski1, Joanna Malicka, Zygmunt Gryczynski
1Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, 725 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
Analytical Chemistry
|July 16, 2004
Summary
Researchers demonstrate ultraviolet surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) using aluminum films. This breakthrough enables SPCE with UV-absorbing fluorophores for biochemical assays.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) typically uses visible light and gold or silver films.
- Previous studies have not observed SPCE in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the possibility of observing SPCE in the UV region.
- To explore the use of aluminum films for UV SPCE.
- To demonstrate SPCE with a UV-absorbing fluorophore.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of thin (20 nm) aluminum films on a quartz substrate.
- Excitation of 2-aminopurine (2-AP), a DNA base analogue, above the aluminum film.
- Measurement of directional light emission and polarization characteristics.
Main Results:
- Observed directional UV SPCE from 2-AP at a narrow angle (59 degrees) from the normal.
- Confirmed SPCE origin through p-polarization and spectral characteristics matching 2-AP.
- Demonstrated intrinsic spectral resolution by wavelength-dependent angular emission.
Conclusions:
- Aluminum films enable SPCE in the UV spectrum.
- UV SPCE can be coupled with UV-absorbing fluorophores like 2-AP.
- This technique offers potential for biochemical applications, including simultaneous surface plasmon resonance and SPCE binding assays.