Single molecule fluorescence in ultrathin capillaries: an electrodynamic study

The present Letter studies theoretically how the fluorescence lifetime of d ye molecules changes when they are confined within glass microcapillaries. The lifetime change is due to the electrodynamic interaction between the em itting molecule and the confining microcavity. The study is done within the framework of the classical theory of spontaneous dipole emission. Numerica l results are presented for experimentally relevant conditions. (C) 1999 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.