Semiconductor nanocrystals for inventory control
US6602671B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 17, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S420/903
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A novel encoding system, compositions for use therein and methods for determining the source, location and/or identity of a particular item or component of interest is provided. In particular, the present invention utilizes a collection of one or more sizes of populations of semiconductor nanocrystals having characteristic spectral emissions, to “track” the source or location of an item of interest or to identify a particular item of interest. The semiconductor nanocrystals used in the inventive compositions can be selected to emit a desired wavelength to produce a characteristic spectral emission in narrow spectral widths, and with a symmetric, nearly Gaussian line shape, by changing the composition and size of the semiconductor nanocrystal. Additionally, the intensity of the emission at a particular characteristic wavelength can also be varied, thus enabling the use of binary or higher order encoding schemes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.