The Orientation Parameter for Energy Transfer in Restricted Geometries Including Block Copolymer Interfaces: A Monte Carlo Study

Abstract

We describe Monte Carlo simulations of resonance energy transfer (RET) experiments for immobile donor (D) and acceptor (A) dyes confined to planar, cylindrical, and spherical restricted geometries. We compare values of the quantum efficiency (PhiET) evaluated through consideration of individual donor-acceptor pairs, with values calculated assuming a pre-averaged value of the orientation parameter /kappa/2 = 0.476 appropriate for infinite three dimensional (3D) space. For dyes confined to restricted geometries where the length scale of the confining dimension is less than or equal to the Förster radius R0, the coupling of the orientation parameter and the donor-acceptor distance becomes noticeable. Values of Phi(ET) obtained by proper consideration of the orientation parameter are smaller than those calculated using /kappa/2 = 0.476. We use this Monte Carlo method to reanalyze the fluoresce decay measured from dye-labeled poly(isoprene-b-methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer with lamellar structure,(1) from which the interface thickness for PI-PMMA lamella can be retrieved. We found the retrieved interface thickness is sensitive to the choice of dipole orientation. If all dipoles in the confined polymer interface have a random orientation, the value of interface thickness was found to be 0.9 +/- 0.2 nm through consideration of individual dipole orientations. Assumption of /kappa/2 = 0.476 in the FRET calculations leads to a larger value of interface thickness (1.3 +/- 0.2 nm) due to the neglect of the coupling between dipole orientation and D-A distance for the dyes confined to lamellar interfaces.