Fixed-angle observation of surface plasmon coupled chemiluminescence from palladium thin films

In this letter, the fixed-angle observation of surface plasmon coupled chemiluminescence (SPCC) from palladium thin films is reported. Fresnel calculations predict that light 492-549 nm spectral range can efficiently induce surface plasmon modes in 15 nm palladium thin films. Free-space emission from blue, green, and chartreuse chemiluminescent solutions on palladium thin films was isotropic, while the SPCC emission was highly directional and predominantly p-polarized in accordance with the predictions of the Fresnel calculations. In addition, the decay rates of the SPCC and free-space emission were similar, which suggests that palladium thin films have no catalytic effect on chemiluminescence emission. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3236773]