Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Korampally, Venumadhav

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Electrical Engineering

LCSH

Fluorescence spectroscopy; Nanomanufacturing

Abstract

Metal enhanced fluorescence is a phenomenon in which fluorescent material experiences increased emission intensity when in close proximity to metallic surfaces which contain plasmonic nanostructures. In this study, several methods for fabricating these plasmonic structures is investigated. These fabrication methods include direct imprinting, soft lithography, and microcontact printing. These methods offer a low cost and comparatively simple alternative to conventional photolithographic and etching techniques, which can provide a means for rapidly producing heat stable plasmonic grating patterns and surfaces which contain a high density of plasmonic nanogap features. These nanogap features were shown to produce a mean enhancement factor for Rhodamine 6G fluorescent dye of up to 21 times, and a maximum enhancement factor of 28.4 times compared to glass using a 100 watt mercury vapor lamp on an epifluorescence microscope fitted with a TRITC optical filter cube. Soft lithography and microcontact printing are further explored in this study for the fabrication of heat stable organosilicate nanochannels which have a channel spacing of 320nm, and a channel height of 25-30nm. These techniques are used in conjunction with lift-off lithography to rapidly fabricate multi-layered channel structures across large surface areas.

Comments

Advisors: Venumadhev Korampally; Michael J. Haji-Sheikh.||Committee members: Veysel Demir.||Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

viii, 119 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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