Characterization of Rhodamine 6G Aggregates Intercalated in Solid Thin Films of Laponite Clay. 1. Absorption Spectroscopy

Enhancement of Fluorescence Mediated by Silver Nanoparticles: Implications for Cell Imaging

In this study, we report the surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) of a biologically important organic dye, fluorescein (FL), by silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in an aqueous medium and its implications for human cell imaging. The as-synthesized Ag NPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-vis absorption spectroscopic studies. The interaction and aggregation of FL dye with Ag NPs and a cationic surfactant, namely, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), were explored by UV-vis absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic methods. The distance-dependent fluorescence enhancement of FL due to Ag NPs in the solution was also theoretically correlated by three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (3D-FDTD) simulation. The plasmonic coupling between neighboring NPs facilitated the augmentation of the local electric field, thereby producing various "hotspots" that influence the overall fluorescence of the emitter. J-type aggregates of FL in the presence of the CTAB micelles and Ag NP mixed solution were confirmed by electronic spectroscopy. The density functional theoretical (DFT) study revealed the electronic energy levels associated with different forms of FL dye in the aqueous solution. Most interestingly, the Ag NP/FL mixed system used in fluorescence imaging of human lung fibroblast cells (WI 38 cell line) showed a significantly stronger green fluorescence signal compared to that of FL after an incubation period of only 3 h. This study confirms that the Ag NP mediated SEF phenomenon of the FL dye is also manifested in the intracellular medium of human cells giving a brighter and more intense fluorescence image. The cell viability test after exposure to the Ag NP/FL mixed system was confirmed by the MTT assay method. The proposed study may have an implication as an alternate approach for human cell imaging with higher resolution and more contrast.

Multicolor Mechanochromic Epoxy Thermosets That Recognize the Intensity, Type, and Duration of Mechanical Stimulation

Mechanochromic polymers that exhibit multiple color changes under external mechanical stimulation show great potential for sensor applications. Herein, an epoxy thermoset that can reveal the intensity, type, and duration of mechanical stimulation via a combination of disulfide (DS) and rhodamine (Rh) mechanochromophores is reported. A unique multicolor transition occurs upon ball mill or manual grinding because of the different activation energies of DS and Rh. The epoxy changes color depending on the ball mill grinding duration. Simultaneous activation occurs with a mechanochromic time lag between DS and Rh, and the collision energy strongly affects the relative intensity. A more dramatic multicolor response is observed using a mortar and pestle, as sequential activation occurs upon gentle and strong grinding. Various types of mechanical stimulation can cause different aggregates of the activated Rh moiety and vary the relative mechanosensitivities of Rh and DS, which lead to a different color response.

Effect of rhodamine 6G dye molecular interactions on counterintuitive self-assembly of noble metal nanorods

HYPOTHESIS

Self-assembled nanostructures with highly ordered and diversified patterns can be obtained by adding additives that directionally control the interparticle interactions. However, due to the complex non-covalent weak interactions in the self-assembly process, the active mechanism of additives is not fully understood, resulting in the limitation of obtaining the nano-superstructures. The introduction of rhodamine 6G (R6G) enables gold nanorods (GNRs) self-assembled into a counterintuitive tetragonal superlattice, during which the exploration of the influence of R6G molecular interactions on the GNRs self-assembly is of importance.

EXPERIMENTS

We present the detailed investigations of spacial configuration, binding modes, and aggregated degree of R6G molecule on formation of the tetragonal GNRs superlattices by combining the experimental and simulated results.

FINDINGS

By analyzing the peak position and peak intensity in the fluorescent spectra of assembled samples and pure R6G samples, H-dimer is verified as the main cause for inducing the tetragonal superstructures. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that 2-3 H-dimers adsorbed obliquely in a zigzag chain manner on the surface of GNRs is the most stable state of the self-assembly. This work would contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex colloidal nanoparticle self-assemblies and push forward the development of the bottom-up nanoscale superstructures.

Molecular Insight into Dye-Surfactant Interaction at Premicellar Concentrations: A Combined Two-Photon Absorption and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

Both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions play pivotal roles in ligand-surfactant binding interaction, especially for ionic surfactants. While much studies have been reported in the micellar region, less attention has been paid on such interactions at a low (premicellar) surfactant concentration. We here study the interaction between the cationic dye rhodamine 6G (R6G) with surfactants of different charge types: anionic SDS, cationic CTAB, and nonionic Tx 100 using absorption and emission spectroscopy. We identify that R6G forms dimeric aggregates at a premicellar concentration of SDS. Formation of aggregates is also confirmed from classical simulation measurements. CTAB and Tx 100 do not form any such aggregate, presumably owing to unfavorable electrostatic interactions. For a molecular-level understanding, we perform two-photon absorption (TPA) spectroscopy for the same systems. TPA allows us to calculate the two-photon absorption cross section and subsequently the change in the dipole moment (Δμ) between ground and excited states of the dye. We calculate the Δμ and observe that it passes through a maximum at a surfactant concentration half of the critical micelle concentration of SDS. This observation imparts support to earlier quantum mechanical calculation, which infers deviation from the parallel orientation of the dye during surfactant-induced aggregation. We extended our measurements and varied the carbon chain length of the anionic surfactant, and we found that all of them exhibit a maximum in Δμ, while their relative magnitude is dependent on the surfactant carbon chain length.

In Situ Absorption and Fluorescence Microspectroscopy Investigation of the Molecular Incorporation Process into Single Nanoporous Protein Crystals

Protein crystals exhibit distinct three-dimensional structures, which contain well-ordered nanoporous solvent channels, providing a chemically heterogeneous environment. In this paper, the incorporation of various molecules into the solvent channels of native hen egg-white lysozyme crystals was demonstrated using fluorescent dyes, including acridine yellow G, rhodamine 6G, and eosin Y. The process was evaluated on the basis of absorption and fluorescence microspectroscopy at a single-crystal level. The molecular loading process was clearly visualized as a function of time, and it was determined that the protein crystals could act as nanoporous materials. It was found that the incorporation process is strongly dependent on the molecular charge, leading to heterogeneous molecular aggregation, which suggests host-guest interaction of protein crystals from the viewpoint of nanoporous materials.

Plasmonic Nanoparticles Driven Enhanced Light Amplification in a Local 2D and 3D Self-Assembly

We present fluorescence and a random lasing enhancement effect due to the interaction between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) dye. Non-covalently bounded dyes in the proximity of nanoparticles are studied in three systems of varying dimensionality: from (i) three-dimensional freely distributed suspensions, through (ii) quasi-two-dimensional multilamellar liposomes, to (iii) solid two-dimensional thin layers. Liposomes facilitate the formation of stable AuNPs/Rh6G composition showing enhanced fluorescence, while solid thin films exhibit plasmon-assisted random lasing.

Photochemistry and Photophysics in Silica-Based Materials: Ultrafast and Single Molecule Spectroscopy Observation

Silica-based materials (SBMs) are widely used in catalysis, photonics, and drug delivery. Their pores and cavities act as hosts of diverse guests ranging from classical dyes to drugs and quantum dots, allowing changes in the photochemical behavior of the confined guests. The heterogeneity of the guest populations as well as the confinement provided by these hosts affect the behavior of the formed hybrid materials. As a consequence, the observed reaction dynamics becomes significantly different and complex. Studying their photobehavior requires advanced laser-based spectroscopy and microscopy techniques as well as computational methods. Thanks to the development of ultrafast (spectroscopy and imaging) tools, we are witnessing an increasing interest of the scientific community to explore the intimate photobehavior of these composites. Here, we review the recent theoretical and ultrafast experimental studies of their photodynamics and discuss the results in comparison to those in homogeneous media. The discussion of the confined dynamics includes solvation and intra- and intermolecular proton-, electron-, and energy transfer events of the guest within the SBMs. Several examples of applications in photocatalysis, (photo)sensors, photonics, photovoltaics, and drug delivery demonstrate the vast potential of the SBMs in modern science and technology.

The Influence of Interfacial Effects on the Photophysics of Rhodamine 6G Thin Films on a Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Surface

The spectral response of ultrathin films of rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) cast onto polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) coated glass slides is studied to investigate a perceived fluorescence emission enhancement. Varying the thickness of the Rh6G layer (submonolayer to multiple layers) on the PVDF layer revealed the existence of multiple Rh6G species on the surface, similar to previous reports on glass. Excitation spectra show that J-type excitons are not responsible for an emission enhancement. Trends in the fluorescence emission intensity show that the surface roughness of the PVDF layer prevents the Rh6G molecules from organizing the way they would on a smooth glass surface. The PVDF surface roughness preserves the emissive monomers and excited-state excimers of Rh6G while reducing the self-quenching of aggregates. Coupled with this is an internal reflection effect that causes light to be trapped between the Rh6G/PVDF and PVDF/glass interfaces. This effect leads to multiple absorption events, and thus more efficient use of the incident light.

Photophysical Behavior of Isocyanine/Clay Hybrids in the Solid State †

In the present study, we have attempted to investigate, for the first time, the photophysical behavior of 1,1'-diethyl-2,4'-cyanine (ICY)/clay mineral hybrids in the solid state. The effects promoted by ICY loading and clay type on the spectroscopic properties were studied by UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DR) and different fluorescence techniques. The hybrids were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). UV-vis-DR revealed the formation of ICY H-aggregates in Wyoming montmorillonite (SWy-1) and Laponite (Lap); however, J-aggregates were predominant for ICY on Arizona (SAz-1) and Barasym (SYn-1) montmorillonites. The formation of J-aggregates was favored on clays with a high layer charge density (SAz-1 and SYn-1). Increasing ICY loading leads to an increase in H-aggregates, which become predominant in all of the samples. The fluorescence spectra of ICY-Lap and ICY-SYn-1 hybrids showed two emissive bands, and they were assigned to the monomeric and J-aggregate species. The fluorescence lifetime showed consistent and distinct values for the two species. The longer fluorescence lifetime can be assigned to the ICY monomers, while the second component has a short lifetime value and may be attributed to J-aggregate emission species. Moreover, confocal fluorescence micrographs showed two different fluorescent domains; monomers (greenish domain) and J-aggregates (orange domain) can be clearly distinguished. For ICY adsorbed on SWy-1 and SAz-1, the intensities of the fluorescence spectra were very low, and it was not possible to measure the fluorescence lifetimes due to high iron content in these clays, which acts as an efficient quencher of the excited singlet state of the dye molecules. XRD and TGA curves showed that the intercalation of ICY into the interlayer regions of SWy-1, SAz-1, and SYn-1 occurred for high dye concentration only. In the case of Laponite, ICY adsorbs on the external surface of the layer. Our studies indicate that the ICY-clays, in particular, ICY-SYn-1 and ICY-Lap, are promising hybrid materials with interesting optical and photophysical properties.

Enlargement of the organic solid-state DFB laser wavelength tuning range by the use of two complementary luminescent dyes doped into the host matrix

Broad range tunable DFB lasing was achieved by the utilization of two dyes forming molecular aggregates within the polymeric matrix.

New insights into the nature of the Cibacron brilliant red 3B-A – Chitosan interaction

Cibacron brilliant red 3B-A (CBR) has been introduced to determine chitosan (CS) concentrations in solution, and several studies applied it to measure chitosan content in pharmaceutical formulations. So far, studies have relied on the absorbance band shift to 570 nm to determine the extent of the CBR – CS interaction. In this study, we show that CBR forms micro- to nanometer sized aggregates with CS, depending on their charge ratio and that other photophysical changes in CBR are induced by this interaction. We found that, besides the bathochromic band shift, aggregation induces emission at 600 nm and emission quenching at 360 nm. We compared changes CS induced in absorbance and fluorescence emission of CBR with the CS monomer glucosamine and poly(allylamine) hydrochloride, which both contain amino groups, and found that similar but less intense photophysical changes also occur. Furthermore, CS-induced circular dichroism in CBR suggests a twisted, chiral structure of these aggregates that should match with the previously published in silico simulations of the structure of CS in solution. The low linear charge density of CS and its chiral conformation are considered responsible for the enhanced photophysical response of CBR interacting with the polycation.

The unprecedented J-aggregate formation of rhodamine moieties induced by 9-phenylanthracenyl substitution

We report a substitution of 9-phenylanthracenyl group into rhodamine derivatives that can induce the J-aggregate formation of rhodamine moieties in the aqueous solution upon the addition of a halide ion. From X-ray crystallographic analysis, the dramatic red-shift in the absorption band (i.e. app. 100 nm) originates from the cooperative slipped-stacking of rhodamine and anthracene molecules.

Far-red fluorescence probe for monitoring singlet oxygen during photodynamic therapy

Singlet oxygen ((1)O2), molecular oxygen in the lowest excited state, has a critical role in the cell-killing mechanism of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Although (1)O2 phosphorescence measurement has been mainly used to monitor (1)O2 formation during PDT, its intensity is far insufficient to obtain two-dimensional images of intracellular (1)O2 with the subcellular spatial resolution using the currently available near-IR detector. Here, we propose a new far-red fluorescence probe of (1)O2, namely, Si-DMA, composed of silicon-containing rhodamine and anthracene moieties as a chromophore and a (1)O2 reactive site, respectively. In the presence of (1)O2, fluorescence of Si-DMA increases 17 times due to endoperoxide formation at the anthracene moiety. With the advantage of negligible self-oxidation by photoirradiation (ΦΔ < 0.02) and selective mitochondrial localization, Si-DMA is particularly suitable for imaging (1)O2 during PDT. Among three different intracellular photosensitizers (Sens), Si-DMA could selectively detect the (1)O2 that is generated by 5-aminolevulinic acid-derived protoporphyrin IX, colocalized with Si-DMA in mitochondria. On the other hand, mitochondria-targeted KillerRed and lysosomal porphyrins could not induce fluorescence change of Si-DMA. This surprising selectivity of Si-DMA response depending on the Sens localization and photosensitization mechanism is caused by a limited intracellular (1)O2 diffusion distance (∼300 nm) and negligible generation of (1)O2 by type-I Sens, respectively. For the first time, we successfully visualized (1)O2 generated during PDT with a spatial resolution of a single mitochondrial tubule.

The effect of poly(vinyl alcohol) on the photophysical properties of pyronin dyes in aqueous solution: a spectroscopic study

The photophysical properties of pyronin B (PyB) and pyronin Y (PyY) in water and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) aqueous solutions were studied by using absorption, steady-state fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques at room temperature. The spectroscopic and photophysical properties of pyronin dyes in the concentrated PVA aqueous solution were different than those found in water. The aggregation of the pyronin dyes in the concentrated PVA aqueous solution was prevented with ease while the dye aggregation was generally formed in water with high dye concentration. The decrease in the aggregation tendency of pyronin dyes in the concentrated PVA aqueous solution caused an increase in radiative transitions. The addition of PVA into the aqueous solution induced the enhancement in the fluorescence intensity of the dyes compared to those in water. As a result, the quantum yields of the dyes were improved by the addition of PVA at high loading. The time-resolved fluorescence study revealed that the fluorescence decay of dyes in all solutions were found to be single-exponential and the fluorescence lifetime of pyronin dyes in the concentrated PVA aqueous solution were also higher than those found in water.

R6G on graphene: high Raman detection sensitivity, yet decreased Raman cross-section

Several recent studies have demonstrated the use of single and few-layer graphene as a substrate for the enhancement of Raman scattering by adsorbed molecules in a method termed graphene-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (GERS). Here we determine the resonance Raman scattering cross-section for the dye molecule rhodamine 6G (R6G) adsorbed on bilayer graphene. For the 1650 cm(-1) R6G mode, we obtain a cross-section of 5.1 × 10(-24) cm(2)·molecule(-1), a greater than 3-fold reduction from the previously reported solution value. We show that the absorption spectrum of adsorbed R6G can be measured using micro-optical contrast spectroscopy, and we find that detuning of the molecular resonance explains the decreased Raman scattering cross-section. We find no evidence for a graphene Raman enhancement process. We also study the graphene thickness dependence of the adsorbed R6G Raman signal and show that a model incorporating electromagnetic interference effects can qualitatively explain the decrease in signal with increasing graphene thickness.

Self-aggregation processes of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in water/ethanol mixtures with high water percentages

This work describes the behavior of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) in ethanol/water mixtures. The dependence of DPH photophysical properties (absorption and fluorescence emission) on the water percentage in ethanol indicates that DPH undergoes self-aggregation processes in solvent conditions above a critical water content. Evidence such as an additional absorption band, Beer's law deviation, kinetic behavior, and other experimental results obtained from temperature variation and surfactant addition demonstrated the presence of several types of DPH aggregates. Resonance light scattering measurements proved that the aggregate grew in water-rich media by a self-catalyzed process.

Comparative study of the self-aggregation of rhodamine 6G in the presence of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), poly(N-phenylmaleimide-co-acrylic acid), poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid), and poly(sodium acrylate)

The interaction between rhodamine 6G and different polyelectrolytes is analyzed. Structural aspects differentiate these polyelectrolytes, such as the presence of aromatic groups and the number and localization of their respective charges, which may be directly attached to the aromatic groups or to the polymeric main chain. In the case of poly(sodium acrylate), which does not bear aromatic groups, the polyelectrolyte induces cooperative self-stacking between the dyes which is highly sensitive to the ionic strength, due to the predominance of long-range electrostatic interactions between the polymer and the dye. In the case of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), whose charge is directly attached to the aromatic groups, a high dispersant ability of the dyes is found and the interaction is less dependent on the ionic strength, due to the predominance of short-range aromatic-aromatic interactions between the dye and the polymer. Among the two polyelectrolytes studied for which the polymeric charge is directly attached to the main chain, and separated from the aromatic group, poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) shows a lower dependence of the interaction on the ionic strength than poly(N-phenylmaleimide-co-acrylic acid) at a comonomer composition of 1:2, due to a higher linear aromatic density and a lower linear charge density, indicating the importance of hydrophobic forces. Both copolymers exhibit a high ability to induce cooperative self-aggregation of the dye.

Aggregation-induced emission enhancement in organic ion pairs

We present here a new example of aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE), which involves an original mechanism based on the formation of organic ion pairs. The phenol 4-hydroxy-7-nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBDOH) is dissociated in water at pH 5.0 to give the corresponding phenolate, which is poorly fluorescent in this medium. We bring evidence that fluorescence quenching is due to an interaction with water molecules. In the presence of a relatively bulky ammonium salt, specifically tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), NBDOH forms a hydrophobic salt, TBA(+)NBDO(-). This has no influence on the fluorescence of the anion as long as the salt is dissolved. However, the salt readily crystallizes in the medium and transition to the solid state is accompanied by a strong increase in fluorescence intensity. This effect can be explained by two reasons. The anions are protected from water molecules, and above all, the presence of the bulky cations prevents parallel-stacking of the anions, thus leading to an original molecular arrangement that is favorable to fluorescence. As the nature of the organic cation may be easily changed, the versatility of the system is very interesting for the design of new organic micro- and nanoparticles that must be fluorescent in the solid state, possibly in an aqueous environment.

On the arrangements of R6G molecules in organophilic C12TMA/lap clay films for low dye loadings

Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies with linearly polarized light are applied to characterize the adsorbed species of rhodamine 6G (R6G) laser dye in ordered organophilic laponite (Lap) clay films for low dye loadings. The organophilic character of the clay was controlled by the number of organic surfactant dodecyl-trimethylammonium (C12TMA) cations intercalated into the interlayer space of the clay. Experimental results suggest that for moderate to high surfactant contents (>70% of the total cation exchange capacity, CEC, of the clay) the accessibility of the interlayer space for R6G molecules is reduced. In these cases, the first stage in the adsorption of R6G molecules is at the external surface, where dye molecules can self-associate even for very low dye loading (around 0.1%CEC), probably for the limitation of the external surface area. The presence of a nonfluorescent H-type aggregate with a short-displaced coplanar structure and a fluorescent oblique head-to-tail J aggregate is reported. The inclined structure of this J aggregate is stabilized by the surfactant molecules at the external surface.

Incorporation and thermal evolution of rhodamine 6G dye molecules adsorbed in porous columnar optical SiO2 thin films

Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) dye molecules have been incorporated into transparent and porous SiO2 thin films prepared by evaporation at glancing angles. The porosity of these films has been assessed by analyzing their water adsorption isotherms measured for the films deposited on a quartz crystal monitor. Composite Rh6G/SiO2 thin films were prepared by immersion of a SiO2 thin film into a solution of the dye at a given pH. It is found that the amount of Rh6G molecules incorporated into the film is directly dependent on the pH of the solution and can be accounted for by a model based on the point of zero charge (PZC) concepts originally developed for colloidal oxides. At low pHs, the dye molecules incorporate in the form of monomers, while dimers or higher aggregates are formed if the pH increases. Depending on the actual preparation and treatment conditions, they also exhibit high relative fluorescence efficiency. The thermal stability of the composite films has been also investigated by characterizing their optical behavior after heating in an Ar atmosphere at increasing temperatures up to 275 degrees C. Heating induces a progressive loss of active dye molecules, a change in their agglomeration state, and an increment in their relative fluorescence efficiency. The obtained Rh6G/SiO2 composite thin films did not disperse the light and therefore can be used for integration into optical and photonic devices.

Energy transfer between rhodamine 3B and oxazine 4 in synthetic-saponite dispersions and films

The objective of this study was the investigation of energy transfer between the laser dyes rhodamine 3B (R3B) and oxazine 4 (Ox4) adsorbed on the surface of synthetic Sumecton saponite (Sum). The process of energy transfer was studied for both saponite dispersions and oriented solid films. The electronic properties, luminescence, and the energy transfer process were described by UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. For the efficiency of the energy transfer process, the concentrations of energy donor and acceptor components on a clay mineral surface were found to be essential. A side reaction of the molecular assembly formation reduced both the luminescence and energy-transfer yields, mainly due to fluorescence quenching. The quenching was more problematic for the solid film specimens, where an appropriate modification of the inorganic host with hydrophobic alkylammonium cations was used to achieve a higher luminescence. Due to the higher tendency of Ox4 to form nonluminescent aggregates at higher concentrations, the lowering of the Ox4 concentration further improved the luminescent properties of the films. In this case, the energy transfer occurring in the solid film from R3B to Ox4 was clearly proven.

Determining electronic spectra at interfaces by electronic sum frequency generation: One- and two-photon double resonant oxazine 750 at the air/water interface

The second-order nonlinear electronic spectra were measured for a dye oxazine 750 (OX750) adsorbed at the air/water interface using the multiplex electronic sum frequency generation (ESFG) spectroscopy recently developed by our group. The excitation-wavelength dependence of the ESFG spectrum was investigated, and a global fitting analysis was performed to separate contributions of one- and two-photon resonances. The analysis yielded linear interface electronic spectra in the one- and two-photon resonance regions, which can be directly compared to bulk absorption spectra. A two-dimensional plot of the linear interface electronic spectra is newly proposed to graphically represent all the essential information on the electronic structure of interfacial molecules. On this new analytical basis of the ESFG spectroscopy, the spectroscopic properties of OX750 at the interface are discussed.

Application of Fluorescence with Polarized Light to Evaluate the Orientation of Dyes Adsorbed in Layered Materials

A new method of fluorescence polarization is applied to evaluate the angle of the preferential orientation of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye adsorbed in supported thin films of Laponite (Lap) clay. The method is based in the determination of the fluorescence dichroic ratio, obtained from the recorded fluorescence spectra with the detection polarizer horizontally and vertically oriented, as a function of the twisted angle of the film around its vertical axis, keeping the excitation polarizer in a fixed direction. The validity of the method is checked by comparing the experimental results obtained with both vertically and horizontally polarized excitations to that previously provided by absorption spectroscopy with linearly polarized light. A preferential orientation angle with respect to the normal to the clay layer of 62 degrees is derived for R6G monomers adsorbed in Lap films.

Formation and Dissociation of Rhodamine 800 Dimers in Water: Steady-State and Ultrafast Spectroscopic Study

We investigated the fundamental photophysics and photochemistry of a cationic dye rhodamine 800 (R800) in water using steady-state and ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopies. In the ground state, the monomer and dimer coexist in equilibrium, which causes significant concentration dependence of UV-visible (vis) absorption spectra. We determined the equilibrium constant as well as the molar absorption spectra of the monomer and dimer from a global fitting analysis of the UV-vis spectra. The obtained pure dimer spectrum indicates that it is a nonparallel H-dimer. In contrast to the absorption spectra, the steady-state fluorescence spectra do not show any noticeable concentration dependence. The fluorescence lifetime was determined as 0.73 ns regardless of the concentration, and the fluorescence of R800 in water was solely attributed to the monomer. In femtosecond time-resolved absorption measurements, we observed the S(n) <-- S1 absorption bands of the monomer and the dimer, as well as the ground-state bleaching signals. It was found that the S1 dimer dissociates to produce the S1 monomer (and the S0 monomer) or relaxes to the S0 dimer with a time constant of as short as 3.0 ps, which brings about the absence of dimer fluorescence.