Differentiable spectral bar code methods and systems

• US 20040178338A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Quantum Dot Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Empedocles, Stephen A., Treadway, Joseph A., Watson, Andrew R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,559,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/271
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00432 Photolithographic masks
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00574 radioactive
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00576 fluorophore
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00578 electrophoric
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00648 by the use of solid beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00657 One-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00677 Ex-situ synthesis followed by deposition on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00707 separated from the reactor apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00743 Cells
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0454 radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 : passive flow or gravitation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502715 : characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 : specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 : for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/545 : for laboratory containers
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 : Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0092 : Monitoring flocculation or agglomeration
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1472 : with colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1497 : Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6441 : with two or more labels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6482 : Sample cells, cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00742 : Type of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00752 : bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/25 : Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 : for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/272 : for following a reaction, e.g. for determining photometrically a reaction rate (photometric cinetic analysis)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 : Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/278 : Constitution of standards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 : Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6452 : Individual samples arranged in a regular 2D-array, e.g. multiwell plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6456 : Spatial resolved fluorescence measurements; Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6486 : Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells G01N21/6428 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6489 : Photoluminescence of semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/04 : Batch operation; multisample devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/06113 : Coherent sources; lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/12 : Circuits of general importance; Signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 : involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings

Abstract

Devices, systems, methods, and compositions of matter can track and/or identify a library of elements, particularly for use with fluids, particulates, cells, and the like. Signals from one or more semiconductor nanocrystals may be combined to define spectral codes. Separation of signal wavelengths within dedicated wavelength ranges or windows facilitates differentiation of spectral codes, while calibration signals within the spectral codes can avoid ambiguity. Modeling based on prior testing can help derive libraries of acceptable codes.

Claims

1. An inventory label generating method comprising:

generating a plurality of candidate labels; and

selecting a plurality of acceptably distinguishable labels from among the candidate labels by determining spectra emitted by the candidate labels when the candidate labels are energized, and by comparing the spectra of the candidate labels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the labels comprise semiconductor nanocrystals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate labels are generated by combining a plurality of markers, each marker emitting a marker signal at an associated signal wavelength in response to excitation energy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing an excitation energy toward the markers and measuring the wavelength/intensity spectra emitted by the labels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the wavelength/intensity spectra of the candidate labels are determined by modeling a combination of a plurality of marker signals.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising calculating at least one of the signals by modeling emissions from a manufacturable marker.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting the calculated signals from the manufacturable marker in response to measured marker signal variations.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising measuring at least one of the signals by energizing a marker so that the marker emits the signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing at least some of the candidate labels with a library of distinguishable labels to determine if the candidate labels are acceptable, and adding acceptable candidate labels to the library.

10. A method for identifying a plurality of identifiable elements, the method comprising:

energizing a plurality of labels so that a first marker of each label generates a first signal with a first wavelength peak, at least some of the labels comprising multiple-signal labels, each multiple-signal label having a second marker generating a second signal with a second wavelength peak;

measuring the first wavelength peaks;

for each multiple-signal label, measuring the second wavelength peak at least a predetermined minimum wavelength separation from the associated first peak; and

identifying the labels in response to the measured peaks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each predetermined minimum wavelength separation is at least as large as a full width half maximum (FWHM) of at least one of the associated first peak and the associated second peak.