Nanophotonic control of the Förster resonance energy transfer efficiency
| 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 dyemolecules that are separated by a short strand of double-stranded DNA.The LDOS is controlled by carefully positioning the FRET pairs near amirror. We find that the energy transfer efficiency changes with LDOS,and that, in agreement with theory, the energy transfer rate isindependent of the LDOS, which allows one to quantitatively control FRETsystems in a new way. Our results imply a change in the characteristicFörster distance, in contrast to common lore that this distance is fixedfor a given FRET pair. |
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| Authors | C. Blum, N. Zijlstra, A. Lagendijk, M. Wubs, A. P. Mosk, V. Subramaniam, and W. L. Vos |
| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Date published | 11/2012 |
| Journal | Phys. Rev. Lett. |
| Volume | 109 |
| Pages | 203601: 1-5 |
| DOI number | 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.203601 |
| Keywords | DNA, fluorescent dye, Förster resonant energy transfer, local density of states, nanophotonics |