Fluorescence spectra characters of silver-coated gold colloidal nanoshells

Aqueous solutions containing a high yield of suspended pure silver, pure gold and silver-coated gold nanoshells have been synthesized via an electrochemical method. UV-vis absorption spectra and fluorescence emission spectra have been measured at room temperature. The absorption spectra show two peaks at 445 and 485 nm, which due to the plasmon resonance of silver-coated gold nanoparticles. Fluorescence emission peaks have been observed in the wavelength region of 550-700 nm. The emission peak corresponding to solid silver particles is more intensive than the peaks corresponding to silver-coated gold nanoshells and solid gold particles. The relationship between relative thickness of silver shell and fluorescence intensity has been illuminated from the quasi-static and local field theory. With decreasing the thickness of silver shell, the maximum of local field enhancement factor decrease and red shifts nonlinearly. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.