US Patent 7723100 - Polymer coated SERS nanotag

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7723100.html

This patent from Becton, Dickenson and Co. teaches glass coated metal nanoparticles having improved biocompatibility in biological systems over quantum dot nanotags. Claim 1 reads:

1. A coated nanotag comprising:

a SERS-active nanotag; and

a polymer coating completely covering the SERS active nanotag,

wherein the SERS-active nanotag comprises: a core comprising one or more nanoparticles, a Raman-active molecule attached to or associated with the core, and an encapsulant.