Nanoscale photoluminescence of light-emitting poly (3-methylthiophene) nanotubes hybridized with Au nanoparticles

We reported on the fabrication and nanoscale luminescence characteristics of the hybrid nanotubes (NTs) of light-emitting poly (3-methylthiophene) (P3MT) NT with gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) (P3MT/Au-NPs). After hybridizing the Au-NPs onto the surface of P3MT NTs, the light-emitting color of P3MT NTs was dramatically changed from a green to a bright red. From laser confocal microscope photoluminescence (PL) experiments for an isolated single strand of the NTs, we observed a ∼220 times enhancement of the PL peak intensity for the hybrid NT of P3MT/Au-NPs compared to that of the P3MT single NT. The enhancement PL efficiency of the hybrid NT of P3MT/Au-NPs can be explained in terms of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and nanoscale local electric field enhancement effects.