The Penn State Research Foundation

Christine D Keating

Theresa S Mayer

Zhiwen Liu

Michael J Natan

Jennifer R Miller

Thomas Morrow

Lauren K Mangeney-Slavin

Jaekyun Kim

Cheng-Yu Wang

Marcus R Helfrich

Mingwei Li

M Scott Long

An imaging system includes a scattering assembly with a scattering medium positioned a first distance from an object to be imaged. The scattering medium includes a plurality of particles suspended in a suspension medium and at least one field source generating an electromagnetic field to manipulate an orientation, concentration, spatial distribution, and/or other properties of the plurality of particles. The imaging system further includes a detector including a plurality of detector elements positioned a second distance from the scattering medium and an image processing system configured to reconstruct an image of the object from an object image signal detected by the detector using object light scattered by the scattering medium and incident on the detector.

Systems and methods for imaging using reconfigurable particle assemblies

Examples of the present invention include methods of assembling structures, such as nanostructures, at predetermined locations on a substrate. A voltage between spaced-apart electrodes supported by substrate attracts the structures to the substrate, and positional registration can be provided the substrate using topographic features such as wells. Examples of the present invention also include devices, such as electronic and optoelectronic devices, prepared by such methods.

Bottom-up assembly of structures on a substrate

A means and method for preparing vesicles and freestanding two-dimensional assemblies using aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) is described. The surface tension of the ATPS is sufficient to support the assembly of various types of particles, and provide the advantage of being biocompatible with DNA and other types of biological molecules that may be used in the assembly. Vesicles are formed by mixing chemically dissimilar compounds in appropriate concentrations and at a temperature sufficient to form a monophasic mixture. This mixture is then heated above the temperature at which the polymer mixture is monophasic, added to a lipid film, and allowed to hydrate at this elevated temperature.

Encapsulation of aqueous phase systems within microscopic volumes

The invention provides sensor, preferably biosensor devices and method of fabrication. The devices have significant advantages over the prior art methods having compatibility with future trends in clinical diagnostics and chemical detection. The underlying principle involves the integration of nanometer diameter, micron long metal or semiconductor rods onto a substrate to form a suspended nanomechanical cantilevers. The cantilever rods are rigidly attached to the substrate on one or both ends, and resonate at a characteristic frequency depending on the diameter, length, and stiffness of the rod. The metal or semiconductor rods are integrated onto the substrate using electrofluidic or fluidic assembly techniques. A receptor coating is placed on the metal or semiconductor rods prior to or following rod alignment using self-assembly chemistries. Sensing is accomplished when the target agent binds to the receptor substance, causing a change in the mass of the cantilever rod, and a corresponding change in the resonant frequency. This change in resonant frequency can be detected using an electrical readout. The sensing circuitry is integrated with CMOS or TFT technologies to form compact multi-analyte senor arrays on single crystal silicon, glass, or polymeric substrates. Circuits can also be included on the substrate to transmit the array data via wireless methods to a remote workstation for analysis. Devices may be integrated on chips with other analysis devices.

Integrated nanomechanical sensor array chips

A substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is described in which the analyte is deliberately sandwiched between a colloidal metal nanoparticle and the SERS substrate. In a first embodiment, the analyte is a protein, and the sandwich comprises a protein:Au colloid complex adsorbed to an aggregated Ag sol. Another embodiment concerns a protein:Ag complex, adsorbed to an aggregated Ag sol. In another embodiment, a protein:Au colloid complex is covalently or non-covalently attached to a macroscopic SERS-active substrate. In yet another embodiment, the colloidal nanoparticle is stabilized by a polymeric additive. In yet another embodiment, detection is accomplished at extremely low analyte concentrations. In a final embodiment, control of analyte orientation with respect to the SERS substrate is demonstrated.

Growing community of inventors

State College, PA, United States of America

Christine D Keating