Controlled optical transition rates in nanodroplets

Summary form only given. Reverse micellar systems consisting of nano-sized droplets of nonaqueous polar solvents, dispersed in an oil-continuous phase have potential as novel reaction media. Recently, the possibility of superradiant emission at visible wavelength from cyanine dye aggregates at interfaces was presented. In this paper we report time-resolved fluorescence measurements of 3,3'-diethyl-5,5'dichloro-9-phenylthiacarbocyanine (DDPT) in bulk solvents and methanol-in-oil reverse micellar systems which include nano-sized methanol droplets stabilised with anionic surfactant aerosol-OT (AOT) in n-heptane, at room temperature. We are able to control optical transition rates utilising reverse micellar structures and show that reverse micelles would be a candidate as molecular tools to prepare light emitting materials having controlled optical properties.