Metal-induced photoluminescence quenching in thin organic films originating from noncontact energy transfer between single molecule and atom

Severe quenching of photoluminescence in dye-doped organic thin films is observed after submonolayer metal (metal atoms) deposition. Insertion of a spacer layer between the organic film and metal atoms has minor effect on eliminating the quenching, indicating that it is a long-range noncontact interaction. The phenomenon is regarded as a result of Forster energy transfer between organic molecules and metal atoms. The origin of the transfer is the coupling between dipoles in excited organic molecules and electron transitions in isolated atoms. Atoms among most elements rather than metals are capable of being involved in such a noncontact energy transfer process. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.