ZnO Nanorod Array Grown on Ag Layer: A Highly Efficient Fluorescence Enhancement Platform

ZnO nanorods (NRs) are known for ultra-sensitive biomolecule detection through fluorescence enhancement. In this work, we demonstrate that ZnO NR arrays grown on Ag layers can significantly improve the enhancement up to 86 times compared to that grown on bare Si and the enhancement can be modified in a controlled manner by varying Ag thickness. The much improved waveguide properties are attributed to the high reflectance of the Ag layers and their tuning effect on the diameters of ZnO NRs. Our results provide a deep insight into the mechanism of NRs-based fluorescence enhancement platform.