Fluorescence‐Emission Control of Single CdSe Nanocrystals Using Gold‐Modified AFM Tips

Abstract

A new means of switching the fluorescence emission of a single nanocrystal by intervention of a gold-modified AFM tip, and the luminescence properties (see TIRFM image) as a function of distance between the single quantum dot and the tip, are presented. Significant luminescence enhancement due to exciton–plasmon coupling was detected. This is important in controlling molecular individuals with applications ranging from microarrays to manipulation of single reporter molecules. TIRFM: Total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy.