Miniaturized microparticles
View Patent ↗A system and method for forming encoded microparticles is described. One embodiment includes an encoded microparticle, the microparticle comprising a plurality of segments aligned along an axis, wherein the plurality of segments define a code for the microparticle; and an outer cuboid encapsulating the plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of segments are detectable through the outer cuboid.
1. An encoded microparticle, comprising:
a first material comprising two or more code elements aligned along an axis; and
a second material surrounding the first material such that the code elements are detectable through the second material;
wherein the code elements form a code of the microparticle;
wherein the microparticle has a consistent rectangular cross section shape along an entire length of the microparticle.
2. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the code of the microparticle is from a codespace that is greater than 1,000.
3. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the code of the microparticle is from a codespace that is greater than 10,000.
4. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the second material is transparent.
5. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the first material is opaque.
6. The microparticle of claim 4 , wherein the transparent material comprises glass.
7. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises a semiconductor or metal.
8. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the microparticle is 20,000 cubic microns or less.
9. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the length of the microparticle is 160 microns or less.
10. The microparticle of claim 9 , wherein a width of the microparticle is 50 microns or less.
11. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the microparticle is 3:1 or higher.
12. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle further comprises a material selected from a group consisting of a magnetic ferromagnetic, diamagnetic, paramagnetic, and a superparamagnetic material.
13. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a plurality of fluorescent molecules therein or thereon.
14. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the second material comprises a surface on which a multiplicity of biochemical molecules is attached.
15. The microparticle of claim 1 , wherein the microparticle is one of a plurality of microparticles, and wherein the plurality of microparticles are substantially disposed in a monolayer.
16. The encoded microparticle of claim 1 ,
wherein the microparticle is configured such that the code is detectable from all angles orthogonal to the axis.
17. An encoded microparticle comprising:
an elongated body comprising a plurality of alternating portions of a more transparent material and a less transparent material;
wherein the portions of the less transparent material are adjacent to the portions of the more transparent material;
wherein the portions of the more and less transparent materials represent a detectable code;
wherein the portions of the more and less transparent materials are surrounded by a coating material; and
wherein the microparticle has a consistent cross rectangular section shape along an entire length of the microparticle.
18. The encoded microparticle of claim 17 , wherein the length of the microparticle is 160 microns or less.
19. An encoded microparticle comprising:
an elongated structure comprising a detectable spatial code, where the elongated structure has a substantially square cross section; and
the elongated structure further comprises a material opaque to visible or near visible light and a material transmissive to the visible or near visible light, wherein the opaque material is enclosed within the transmissive material, and wherein the elongated structure has a consistent rectangular cross section shape along an entire length of the elongated structure.
20. The encoded microparticle of claim 19 , wherein the rectangular cross section shape is a substantially square cross-section shape.