Surface plasmon enhanced Förster resonance energy transfer between the CdTe quantum dots (original) (raw)

Förster resonance energy transfer FRET between CdTe quantum dots QDs at nanoscale proximity to gold nanoparticle Au NP layers is investigated experimentally. We have observed the enhancement in the acceptor QDs' photoluminescence lifetime intensities. The decrease in donor QDs' exciton lifetime from 5.74 to 2.06 ns, accompanied by an increase in acceptor QDs' exciton lifetime from 3.38 to 7.52 ns, provided evidence for enhanced FRET between the QDs near Au NPs. The Au NPs' surface plasmon dipole fields are assisted to overcome the weak electronic coupling between the emitting donor and absorbing acceptor transition exciton dipoles in the homogeneous medium.