Solution deposition of nanometer scale silver films as an alternative to vapor deposition for plasmonic excitation

We report the attainment of surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) from highly uniform thin silver films, solution-deposited on glass substrates by a wet chemistry approach. The surface morphology of these films was characterized by atomic force microscopy. The SPCE emission enhancements, polarization and angularity obtained from solution-deposited silver on BK7 glass were comparable to that achieved from conventional SPCE slides prepared via vapor deposition. This facile, wet chemistry procedure for the deposition of SPCE films provides an inexpensive, low maintenance alternative to vapor deposition for SPCE substrate preparation. This would allow the fluorescence observation technique to become more readily available for high sensitivity, low cost applications.