Fig. 1. Experimental setup

Fig. 2. Measurement of the fluorescence characteristics of single quantum dots. (a) Time trace of fluorescence intensity of single quantum dots on quartz glass substrate (recorded by single photon avalanche diode or EMCCD); (b) fluorescence decay curves of single quantum dots on quartz glass substrate (The inset shows the second-order correlation function that exhibits the anti-bunching signature of single photon emission for single quantum dots); (c) wide-field fluorescence imaging of quantum dots, the

Fig. 3. Fluorescence lifetime distributions of the single photon emission of single quantum dots. (a)-(c) show the measurement results for single quantum dots on quartz glass substrate, silicon substrate and gold film, respectively

Fig. 4. Simulated fluorescence decay rates of quantum dots on different substrates and AFM images (with range 5 μm×5 μm). (a1)-(a2) Simulated fluorescence decay rates of an electric point source of horizontal polarization (a1) or vertical polarization (a2) at different effective distances d away from the surface of quartz glass substrate, silicon substrate and gold film; (b1)-(b3) AFM images of the surface of quartz glass substrate, silicon substrate and gold film, respectively; (b4) AFM image of quantu

Fig. 5. Simulated quantum yield q of an electric point source as a function of the distance d between the electric point source and the substrates. The results are obtained for an electric point source of (a) horizontal polarization or (b) vertical polarization on quartz glass substrate, silicon substrate and gold film

Fig. 6. Time trace of fluorescence intensity of single quantum dots. (a1)-(a3) Results of three single quantum dots on the quartz glass substrate; (b1)-(b3) results of three single quantum dots on the silicon substrate; (c1)-(c3) results of three single quantum dots on the gold film

Fig. 7. Fluorescence intensity statistical distribution of single quantum dots. (a1)-(a3) Results of three quantum dots on the quartz glass substrate; (b1)-(b3) results of three quantum dots on the silicon substrate; (c1)-(c3) results of three quantum dots on the gold film