Miniaturized microparticles
View Patent ↗An encoded microparticle carrying a code is provided; and a set of encoded microparticles are provided with distinguishable codes, wherein the codes comply with a pre-determined coding scheme.
1. An encoded microparticle comprising:
a longest dimension less than 50 microns;
a plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of segments form a spatial code; and
an outer surface, wherein the outer surface encloses the spatial code, and wherein the spatial code is detectable through the outer surface.
2. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface is configured such that the spatial code is detectable with one of the group consisting of reflected light, transmitted light, emitted light, magnetic field, visible light, ultraviolet light, and fluorescence imaging.
3. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the spatial code is detectable during Brownian motion.
4. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the spatial code is detectable from at least two orthogonal directions.
5. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the spatial code is detectable with a single image capture event.
6. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle has a volume of 20,000 cubic microns or less.
7. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle has a volume of 5,000 cubic microns or less.
8. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle has a volume of 1,000 cubic microns or less.
9. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the spatial code of the microparticle is from a codespace that is greater than 1,000.
10. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the spatial code of the microparticle is from a codespace that is greater than 10,000.
11. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle comprises an opaque material.
12. The microparticle of claim 11 , wherein the opaque material comprises a semiconductor or metal.
13. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the microparticle is substantially rectangular.
14. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the microparticle is 3:1 or higher.
15. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a magnetic, ferromagnetic, diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and a superparamagnetic material.
16. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of fluorescent molecules therein or thereon.
17. The microparticle of claim 1 , further comprising a multiplicity of biochemical molecules on a surface of the microparticle.
18. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle is a member of a plurality of microparticles that is substantially disposed in a monolayer.
19. The microparticle of claim 18 , wherein the microparticles are disposed in a liquid buffer and the microparticles undergo substantial Brownian motion and have biochemical molecules attached to the surface.
20. The microparticle of claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of indentations in a surface of the microparticle.
21. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein a length of the microparticle is 30 microns or less.
22. The microparticle of claim 21 , wherein a length of the microparticle is 20 microns or less.
23. An encoded microparticle comprising:
a first material comprising two or more separate segments aligned along an axis;
a second material enclosing the first material such that the segments are detectable through the second material; and
wherein a spatial code for the microparticle is provided.
24. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the separate segments comprise a longest dimension of 1.5 microns or less.
25. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the microparticle has a volume of 20,000 cubic microns or less.
26. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the microparticle has a volume of 5,000 cubic microns or less.
27. The microparticle of claim 24 , wherein the separate segments comprise a longest dimension of 1.0 microns or less.
28. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the spatial code is detectable with one of the group consisting of a reflectance imaging system, a transmissive imaging system, and a fluorescence imaging system.
29. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the microparticle comprises a longest dimension of less than 50 microns.
30. The microparticle of claim 29 , wherein the microparticle comprises a longest dimension of less than 20 microns.
31. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the spatial code is detectable with a single image capture event.
32. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the first material comprises an opaque material.
33. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein a cross section of the microparticle is substantially rectangular.
34. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the microparticle is 3:1 or higher.
35. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a magnetic, ferromagnetic, diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and a superparamagnetic material.
36. The microparticle of claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of fluorescent molecules on or in a surface of the microparticle.
37. The microparticle of claim 23 , further comprising a multiplicity of biochemical molecules on a surface of the microparticle.
38. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the microparticle is a member of a plurality of microparticles that is substantially disposed in a monolayer.
39. The microparticle of claim 23 , wherein the microparticles are disposed in a liquid and the microparticles undergo substantial Brownian motion and have biochemical molecules attached to the surface.
40. The microparticle of claim 23 , further comprising a plurality of indentations in a surface of the microparticle.