Kimberly Butler

Title: Innovations by Kimberly Butler in Optical Tagging Technologies

Introduction

Kimberly Butler is an accomplished inventor based in Albuquerque, NM (US), known for her significant contributions to the field of optical tagging technologies. With a total of six patents to her name, she has developed innovative solutions that enhance the capabilities of complex optical tags.

Latest Patents

Among her latest patents, Butler has created "Tunable rare earth metal-organic frameworks for complex optical tags." This invention provides a powerful design strategy for next-generation, multiplexed, lifetime-encoded tags. It achieves this by engineering intermetallic energy transfer in heterometallic metal-organic frameworks based on nonanuclear metal clusters. The invention allows for precise manipulation of luminescence decay dynamics over a wide microsecond regime, thanks to the control over metal ordering in these systems. A notable application of this invention is a dynamic double encoding method that utilizes the braille alphabet, incorporating the materials into photocurable inks patterned on glass and interrogated via digital high-speed imaging.

Another significant patent is "Mixed cluster heterometallic metal-organic frameworks for complex optical tags." This patent describes a rapid and facile design strategy to create highly complex optical tags with programmable, multimodal photoluminescent properties. The tag features intrinsic and biomolecule-fluorophore hidden signatures. A key aspect of this invention is the synthesis of a heterometallic near-infrared (NIR) emitting mesoporous metal-organic framework (MOF) comprising homometallic hexanuclear clusters based on Nd and Yb. The NIR emissive MOF is post-synthetically modified to generate controlled, multimodal, and tailorable emission with difficult-to-counterfeit features.

Career Highlights

Butler has worked with National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, where she has further honed her skills in developing advanced optical technologies. Her work has positioned her as a leader in the field, contributing to the advancement of optical tagging systems.

Collaborations

Throughout her career, Butler has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Dorina Florentina Sava Gallis and Lauren E S Rohwer. These collaborations have enriched her research and development efforts, leading to innovative breakthroughs in her field.

Conclusion

Kimberly Butler's innovative work in optical tagging technologies showcases her expertise and dedication to advancing the field