Programmed Surface Enhanced Spectroscopy Particles
Embodiments include types of programmable surface-enhanced spectroscopy (SES) particles (PSPs), including PSP 200 having a SES-active surface 202 and a programmable reporter 206 associated with the SES surface 202 and methods of fabricating and using same. The programmable reporter 206 provides that the PSP 200 will return a controlled but variable signal in response to spectroscopic interrogation. The spectroscopic signal can be triggered to change externally or the signal may naturally vary over time.
1 . A programmable SES particle comprising:
a surface-enhanced spectroscopy (SES)-active surface; and
a programmable reporter associated with the SES surface.
2 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 further comprising a nanoparticulate SES-active surface.
3 . The programmable SES particle of claim 2 wherein the nanoparticulate SES-active surface has a diameter of between 2 nm and 2000 nm.
4 . (canceled)
5 . The programmable SES particle of claim 2 wherein the nanoparticulate SES-active surface has spherical symmetry.
6 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 wherein the programmable reporter comprises:
a SES-active reporter associated with the SES-active surface; and
a porous outer shell surrounding the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface.
7 . The programmable SES particle of claim 6 wherein the porous outer shell comprises at least one of an aerogel, a permselective polymer, and a porous silica.
8 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 wherein the programmable reporter comprises:
a SES-active reporter associated with the SES-active surface; and
an outer shell having variable permeability surrounding the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface.
9 . The programmable SES particle of claim 8 wherein the outer shell having variable permeability comprises at least one of a thermally depolymerizable polymer, a thermally depolymerizable tertiary polycarbonates, a thermally responsive polymer, an organic-soluble reverse micelle and a biodegradable material.
10 . The programmable SES particle of claim 8 wherein the outer shell having variable permeability is made more permeable in response to at least one of light, heating or cooling and a chemical reagent.
11 . The programmable SES particle of claim 8 wherein the outer shell having variable permeability is made to dissolve or disassociate.
12 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 wherein the programmable reporter comprises:
a SES-active reporter associated with the SES-active surface
a delivery layer associated with at least one of the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface; and
an outer shell surrounding the delivery layer, the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface.
13 . The programmable SES particle of claim 12 wherein the delivery layer comprises a material that will change the SES activity of the SES-active reporter.
14 . The programmable SES particle of claim 12 wherein the delivery layer comprises a material that will change the SES activity of the SES-active substrate.
15 . The programmable SES particle of claim 12 wherein the delivery layer comprises a material that produces a reagent in response to a stimulus.
16 . The programmable SES particle of claim 15 wherein the stimulus that causes the delivery layer to produce a reagent comprises at least one of heat, cold, light, mechanical stimulus and chemical stimulus.
17 . The programmable SES particle of claim 12 the delivery layer comprises at least one of a thermally depolymerizable polymer, a photoacid generator, a photosensitive compound and a photosensitive polymer.
18 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 wherein the programmable reporter comprises:
a SES-active reporter associated with the SES-active surface;
a delivery layer;
a diffusion layer associated with the delivery layer and at least one of the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface; and
an outer shell surrounding the delivery layer, the diffusion layer and the SES-active reporter and the SES-active surface.
19 . The programmable SES particle of claim 1 wherein the programmable reporter comprises:
a SES-active reporter associated with the SES-active surface; and
means for changing the SES activity of the SES-active reporter or the SES-active surface.
20 . The programmable SES particle of claim 19 wherein the means for changing the SES activity of the SES-active reporter or the SES-active surface causes the SES activity of the SES-active reporter or the SES-active surface to change as a function of the passage of time.
21 . The programmable SES particle of claim 19 wherein the means for changing the SES activity of the SES-active reporter or the SES-active surface causes the SES activity of the SES-active reporter or the SES-active surface to change in response to an external trigger.
22 - 31 . (canceled)