Wednesday, September 06, 2006

US Patent 7101718 - Organoluminescent Semiconductor Nanocrystal

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7101718.pdf

Semiconductor nanocrystals (i.e. quantum dots) are currently being used as materials for fluorescent labeling of biological material. This patent from the University of California has priority back to 1997 and presents a broad claim to such materials. Claim 1 reads:

1. A composition, comprising: a semiconductor nanocrystal which emits light when excited; a polymerizable linking agent; an affinity molecule linked to the linking agent; and a detectable substance bound to the affinity molecule.