Fluorescence lifetimes of molecular dye ensembles near interfaces

Fluorescence lifetimes of thin, rhodamine 6G-doped polymer layers in front of a mirror have been determined as a function of the emitter-mirror separation and the conditions of excitation and observation. Lifetime is well known to depend on the spatial emitter-mirror separation. The explanation of experimental data needs to consider direction, polarization, and numerical aperture of the experimental system. As predicted theoretically, experimental results depend on the conditions of illumination and observation, because of the different lifetimes of emitters aligned horizontally or vertically with respect to the plane of interfaces and their selection by the experimental system. This effect is not observable when ions are used as a source of fluorescence, because ensemble averaging depends on the properties of sources.