Nanophotonic Control of the Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Efficiency

Christian Blum, Niels Zijlstra, Ad Lagendijk, Martijn Wubs, Allard P. Mosk, Vinod Subramaniam, and Willem L. Vos
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 203601 – Published 13 November 2012
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Abstract

We have studied the influence of the local density of optical states (LDOS) on the rate and efficiency of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from a donor to an acceptor. The donors and acceptors are dye molecules that are separated by a short strand of double-stranded DNA. The LDOS is controlled by carefully positioning the FRET pairs near a mirror. We find that the energy transfer efficiency changes with LDOS, and that, in agreement with theory, the energy transfer rate is independent of the LDOS, which allows one to quantitatively control FRET systems in a new way. Our results imply a change in the characteristic Förster distance, in contrast to common lore that this distance is fixed for a given FRET pair.

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  • Received 5 July 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.203601

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Christian Blum1,*, Niels Zijlstra1, Ad Lagendijk2,3, Martijn Wubs4, Allard P. Mosk2, Vinod Subramaniam5, and Willem L. Vos2

  • 1Nanobiophysics (NBP), MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
  • 2Complex Photonic Systems (COPS), MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
  • 3FOM-Institute AMOLF, Science Park, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • 4Department of Photonics Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
  • 5Nanobiophysics (NBP), MIRA Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Technical Medicine and MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

  • *c.blum@utwente.nl; http://www.utwente.nl/tnw/nbp; http://www.photonicbandgaps.com

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 20 — 16 November 2012

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