Energy transfer between dye monolayers in a metallic microcavity

Summary form only given. We study the energy transfer from a monolayer ofa donor Eu/sup 3+/ complex to a monolayer of an acceptor cyanine dye separated by a known distance. Initially measurements of the quenching of the donor emission as a function of the separation of the donor and acceptor monolayers were made, and these confirm the transfer process to be Forster-like in nature. The donor/spacer/acceptor system was then incorporated at a precise position within an asymmetric metallic microcavity--a structure with a strong photonic mode density variation.