Manipulating fluorescence characteristics of conjugated fluorescent molecules incorporated into three-dimensional poly(methyl methacrylate) opal photonic crystals

We compare the fluorescence characteristics of conjugated molecules (coumarin 6, C-6) in solution, aggregation state, and poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA opal photonic crystals (PCs), and investigate the manipulation mechanism of PCs on C-6. We find that the PCs effectively inhibit the aggregate-induced fluorescence quenching of C-6 by breaking the intermolecular interaction and manipulate the fluorescence characteristics of C-6 by changing the photonic stop band (PSB). The emission traces of C-6 have been analyzed using the continuous rate distribution model. The control of fluorescence characteristics of C-6 in PCs depends on the mesh microporous structure and the PSB of PCs. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics