This thesis aims to improve the detection from ultra-weak single emitter by enhancing their emission properties with plasmonic nanostructures. We exploit the wet-chemically synthesized single... Show moreThis thesis aims to improve the detection from ultra-weak single emitter by enhancing their emission properties with plasmonic nanostructures. We exploit the wet-chemically synthesized single crystalline gold nanorods (GNRs) as our basic frameworks in the whole studies, simply because of their unique optical properties, such as the intense electromagnetic fields enhancement near the tips, and the narrow, tunable resonance with light. We first explore the lower limit of fluorescence quantum yield for single-molecule detection by enhancing the fluorescence with a single gold nanorod. Later, we develop a method to synthesize end-to-end gold nanorod dimers on glass substrates with the aid of molecular linkers, and then apply these strong plasmon coupling systems to enhance the single-molecule fluorescence under two-photon excitation. Show less
