Methods for optically encoding an object with upconverting materials and compositions used therein

Abstract

Methods for encoding samples including barcodes and compositions involving upconverters. The compositions can comprise two or more lanthanide materials. Each lanthanide material can comprise a host, an absorber, and an emitter, and the materials emit detectable electromagnetic radiation upon excitation with absorbable electromagnetic energy. One or more relative ratios of emission intensities uniquely identify the composition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for labeling a biological structure, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of particles, each of the particles encoded with a upconverting composition which emits a detectable electromagnetic radiation upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the emitted radiation defining a code;   providing a plurality of probes;   attaching one of the probes to one of the plurality of particles encoded with the upconverting composition; and   combining the probe with a target biomolecule of the biological structure, the target biomolecule being complementary to the probe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upconverting composition comprises a single lanthanide material having a host and two or more emitters, or two or more lanthanide materials each having a host and one or more emitters. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the host is selected from a group consisting of oxides, oxysulfides, oxynitrides, aluminates, gallates, halides and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of the emitters comprises a lanthanide material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each of the emitters is selected from a group consisting of gadolinium, europium, erbium, terbium, thulium, praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, samarium, holmium. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least some of the two or more emitters or the one or more emitters are different from one another. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a dye selected from the group consisting of rhodamines, cyanines, xanthenes, acridines, oxazines, porphyrins, phthalocyanines and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a quantum dot selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide, lead selenide, lead telluride, zinc selenide, telluride and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the probe is selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides, DNA, RNA proteins, polypetides, antibodies and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological structure comprises a cell or sub-cellular structure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 irradiating the biological structure with the absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the absorbable radiation having a first wavelength, the absorbable electromagnetic radiation inducing emissions from the upconverting composition at a radiation wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength, the wavelength range of the each emission being different from one another;   measuring integrated intensities of the emissions; and   calculating at least one relative ratio of the integrated emission intensities, the at least one relative ratio defining a code   
     
     
         12 . A method for determining a location of a target biomolecule within a biological structure, the method comprising:
 combining a probe with the target biomolecule of the biological structure, the probe being attached to a particle encoded with a upconverting composition which emits a detectable electromagnetic radiation upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation;   irradiating the biological structure with the absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the absorbable radiation having a first wavelength, the absorbable electromagnetic radiation inducing emissions from the upconverting composition at a radiation wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength, the wavelength range of the each emission being different from one another;   measuring integrated intensities of the emissions; and   calculating at least one relative ratio of the integrated emission intensities, the at least one relative ratio defining a code;   wherein the measuring of the integrated intensities and the calculation of the at least one relative ratio of the integrated emission intensities determine the location of the target biomolecule within the biological structure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the upconverting composition comprises a single lanthanide material having a host and two or more emitters, or two or more lanthanide materials each having a host and one or more emitters. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the host is selected from a group consisting of oxides, oxysulfides, oxynitrides, aluminates, gallates, halides and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the emitters comprises a lanthanide material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the emitters is selected from a group consisting of gadolinium, europium, erbium, terbium, thulium, praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, samarium, and holmium. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the two or more emitters or the one or more emitters are different from one another. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a dye selected from the group consisting of rhodamines, cyanines, xanthenes, acridines, oxazines, porphyrins, phthalocyanines and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a quantum dot selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide, lead selenide, lead telluride, zinc selenide, telluride and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the probe is selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides, DNA, RNA proteins, polypetides, antibodies and combinations thereof 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the biological structure comprises a cell or sub-cellular structure. 
     
     
         22 . A method for determining an amount of target biomolecules within a biological structure, the method comprising:
 combining probes with the target biomolecules of the biological structure, each of the probes being attached to a particle encoded with a upconverting composition which emits a detectable electromagnetic radiation upon excitation with an absorbable electromagnetic radiation;   irradiating the biological structure with the absorbable electromagnetic radiation, the absorbable radiation having a first wavelength, the absorbable electromagnetic radiation inducing emissions from the upconverting composition at a radiation wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength, the wavelength range of the each emission being different from one another;   measuring integrated absolute intensities of the emissions;   calculating relative ratios of the integrated emission intensities, each of the relative ratios defining a code; and   using the absolute intensities of the emissions to determine the amount of the target biomolecules within the biological structure.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the upconverting composition comprises a single lanthanide material having a host and two or more emitters, or two or more lanthanide materials each having a host and one or more emitters. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the host is selected from a group consisting of oxides, oxysulfides, oxynitrides, aluminates, gallates, halides and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the emitters comprises a lanthanide material. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein each of the emitters is selected from a group consisting of gadolinium, europium, erbium, terbium, thulium, praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, samarium, and holmium. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least some of the two or more emitters or the one or more emitters are different from one another. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a dye selected from the group consisting of rhodamines, cyanines, xanthenes, acridines, oxazines, porphyrins, phthalocyanines and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein each of the particles further comprises a quantum dot selected from the group consisting of cadmium sulfide, lead selenide, lead telluride, zinc selenide, telluride and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the probe is selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides, DNA, RNA, proteins, polypetides, antibodies and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the biological structure comprises a cell or sub-cellular structure.