Multiple step printing methods for microbarcodes
View Patent ↗A system and method for forming encoded microparticles is described. One embodiment includes a method of forming an encoded microparticle, the method comprising: depositing and patterning a plurality of layers on a substrate so as to form a plurality of microparticles, each microparticle comprising a plurality of separate segments aligned along an axis and representing a code; and releasing the microparticles in order to separate the microparticles from the substrate.
1. A method of forming an encoded microparticle, the method comprising:
depositing and patterning a plurality of layers on a substrate so as to form a plurality of microparticles, each microparticle comprising a plurality of separate segments aligned along an axis and representing a code; and
releasing the microparticles in order to separate the microparticles from the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing and patterning the plurality of layers further comprises:
depositing a first layer on the substrate;
depositing a second layer on the first layer;
forming the second layer into a plurality of particle regions such that each particle region has two or more discrete segments aligned along the axis; and
depositing a third layer after forming the second layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing and patterning the plurality of layers further comprises:
depositing a first layer on the substrate;
depositing a second layer on the first layer;
forming, at a first time, a first pattern on the second layer;
forming, at a second time, a second pattern on the second layer; and
wherein the first and second patterns form all or a portion of the code of the microparticle.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle comprises a transparent material.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the discrete segments of the microparticle are opaque.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the discrete segments comprise a semiconductor or metal.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a cross section of the microparticle is substantially rectangular.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the microparticle is 20,000 cubic microns or less.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a length of the microparticle is 160 microns or less.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a width of the microparticle is 70 microns or less.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a layer that comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a magnetic, ferromagnetic, diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and a superparamagnetic material.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a fluorescent layer composed of a plurality of fluorescent molecules.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a multiplicity of biochemical molecules on or in a surface microparticle.
14. A method of producing an encoded particle comprising:
providing a substrate;
depositing a first layer on the substrate;
depositing a second layer on the first layer;
forming the second layer into a plurality of particle regions such that each particle region has two or more discrete segments aligned along an axis, wherein a code is formed by the discrete segments of an individual particle;
depositing a third layer after forming the second layer; and
releasing the layers in the particle regions from the substrate to form individual particles.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of patterning the second layer comprises:
forming, at a first time, a first pattern on the second layer;
forming, at a second time, a second pattern on the second layer; and
wherein the first and second patterns form all or a portion of the code of the particle.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first layer comprises a transparent material.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second layer comprises an opaque material.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a magnetic, ferromagnetic, diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and a superparamagnetic material.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the volume of the particle is 20,000 cubic microns or less.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein a length of the particle is 160 microns or less.
21. The method of claim 14 , wherein a width of the particle is 70 microns or less.
22. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming a fluorescent layer composed of a plurality of fluorescent molecules.
23. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
attaching a multiplicity of biochemical molecules on or in a surface of the particle.
24. A method of forming a plurality of encoded microparticles, comprising:
depositing and patterning a layer on a substrate so as to form a plurality of microparticles, each comprising a plurality of discrete segments aligned along an axis which is substantially parallel to the substrate and representing a code; and
releasing the microparticles in order to separate the microparticles from the substrate, wherein the code for each microparticle is detectable from all directions perpendicular to the axis.