Fluorescently labeled 1 nm thin nanomembranes

Fluorescent labeling of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) has a great potential for chemical and biotechnological sensing. However, its use is limited by the quenching of the fluorescence in the proximity of the conducting substrates. We show that this quenching can be overcome by the labeling of a cross-linked aromatic SAM (nanosheet) and its subsequent transfer onto a non-conducting substrate. We demonstrate the successful labeling of nanosheets with a fluorophore (tetramethylrhodamine) and its subsequent transfer to oxidized silicon, where they are detected by optical as well as fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescently labeled freestanding nanosheets, i.e. nanomembranes were obtained by a similar transfer of the nanosheets to TEM grids.