Fluorescence intensities of chromophores in front of a thin metal film

The fluorescence of chromophores that was placed at variable distance from a metal surface was analyzed on a model system. The model system was based on polyelectrolyte multilayers deposited on ultraflat template-stripped gold. The polarization anisotropy of the emitted light was studied and the intensities were recorded for varying excitation and emission direction. The classical theory framework was found to be appropriate for a quantitative description of the behavior of chromophores in front of a metal surface as indicated by the experiments with spacer thickness above 15 nm.