Semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes
View Patent ↗A semiconductor nanocrystal compound and probe are described. The compound is capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. The compound comprises (1) one or more semiconductor nanocrystals capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy, and (2) one or more linking agents, having a first portion linked to the one or more semiconductor nanocrystals and a second portion capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. One or more semiconductor nanocrystal compounds are linked to one or more affinity molecules to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with one or more detectable substances in a material being analyzed, and capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy. Also described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and treating materials with the probe.
1. A semiconductor nanocrystal composition, comprising:
a core comprising a first semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of a Group II-VI semiconductor and a Group III-V semiconductor;
a core-overcoating shell comprising a second semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS, SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, and HgTe wherein the first and second semiconductor materials are different, and wherein the core and the core-overcoating shell form a core/shell nanocrystal; and
an encapsulating net around the core/shell nanocrystal, wherein said encapsulating net comprises one or more linking agents capable of linking the nanocrystal to an affinity molecule.
2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal composition is water-soluble.
3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor nanocrystal composition has a narrow emission wavelength band.
4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the narrow emission wavelength band does not exceed 40 nm in width measured at full width half maximum.
5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the narrow emission wavelength band does not exceed about 20 nm in width measured at full width half maximum.
6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise a polymerizable linking agent.
7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise a thiol moiety.
8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise an alkyl group.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core has a diameter from about 20 Å to about 100 Å.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core-overcoating shell is 1-10 monolayers thick.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core-overcoating shell epitaxially surrounds said core.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core/shell nanocrystal has an average cross-section that is no larger than about 20 nm.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core/shell nanocrystal has an average cross-section of about 1 nm to about 10 nm.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises a Group II-VI semiconductor.
15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises a Group III-V semiconductor.
16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS, SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, and HgTe.
17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of CdSe, GaAs, InGaAs, InP, and InAs.
18. The composition of claim 15 , wherein the second semiconductor material is ZnS.
19. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises CdSe and the second semiconductor material comprises ZnS.
20. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material is CdSe, the second semiconductor material is ZnS and the one or more linking agents comprise a polymerizable linking agent.
21. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the first semiconductor material is CdSe.
22. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor material is ZnS.
23. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the second semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe.
24. A semiconductor nanocrystal composition, comprising:
a core comprising a first semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of a Group II-VI semiconductor and a Group III-V semiconductor;
a core-overcoating shell comprising a second semiconductor material selected from the group consisting of MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS, SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, and HgTe wherein the first and second semiconductor materials are different, and wherein the core and the core-overcoating shell form a core/shell nanocrystal; and
an encapsulating net around the core/shell nanocrystal, wherein said encapsulating net comprises one or more linking agents capable of linking the nanocrystal to an affinity molecule;
wherein the core has an average cross-section no larger than 20 nm.
25. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the core has an average cross-section no larger than 10 nanometers.
26. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the core has an average cross-section in a range of from 1 nanometer to 10 nanometers.
27. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise a polymerizable linking agent.
28. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise a thiol moiety.
29. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the one or more linking agents comprise an alkyl group.
30. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises a Group II-VI semiconductor.
31. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises a Group III-V semiconductor.
32. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of MgS, MgSe, MgTe, CaS, CaSe, CaTe, SrS, SrSe, SrTe, BaS, BaSe, BaTe, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgS, HgSe, and HgTe.
33. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of CdSe, GaAs, InGaAs, InP, and InAs.
34. The composition of claim 31 , wherein the second semiconductor material is ZnS.
35. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material comprises CdSe and the second semiconductor material comprises ZnS.
36. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material is CdSe, the second semiconductor material is ZnS and the one or more linking agents comprise a polymerizable linking agent.
37. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the first semiconductor material is CdSe.
38. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the second semiconductor material is ZnS.
39. The composition of claim 24 , wherein the second semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, and CdTe.