Enhanced lanthanide luminescence using silver nanostructures: opportunities for a new class of probes with exceptional spectral characteristics.

The photophysical effects of europium tetracycline immobilized in thin polyvinyl alcohol films coated onto silver nanostructures have been investigated. Complimentary to recent reports from our laboratories that the close proximity of luorophores to silver nanostructures can enhance their intrinsic radiative decay rate, we show that up to a 16-fold enhancement in lanthanide luminescence is possible, accompanied by a notable reduction in luminescence lifetime. These results suggest the potential future development of a new class of significantly brighter lanthanide based probes with exceptional spectral properties, which can probably undergo significantly more excitation-emission event cycles due to the reduced lifetime, substantially increasing detectability.