Metal-enhanced fluorescence from CdTe nanocrystals: a single-molecule fluorescence study

We described, for the first time, the metal-enhanced fluorescence from the CdTe nanocrystals spin coated on silver island films (SIFs). CdTe nanocrystals show approximately 5-fold increase in fluorescence intensity, 3-fold decrease in lifetimes, and reduction in blinking on SIF surfaces that can be observed by ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence studies. The single-molecule study also provides further insight on the heterogeneity in the fluorescence enhancement and lifetimes of the CdTe nanocrystals on both glass and SIF surfaces, which is otherwise not possible to observe using ensemble measurements.