# US 8,569,703 B2 · System and methods using quantum dots as general dosimeters

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- Number: US 8,569,703 B2
- Document ID: US8569703B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/571,199
- Filed: 2009-09-30
- Published: 2010-07-15
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-01-15
- Assignees: Multi-Magnetics Incorporated
- Applicants: Kui Yu; Diana Wilkinson; Chunsheng Li; Robert Stodilka; Jeff Carson; Alex Thomas; Frank Prato; Terry Thompson
- Inventors: Kui Yu; Diana Wilkinson; Chunsheng Li; Robert Stodilka; Jeff Carson; Alex Thomas; Frank Prato; Terry Thompson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569703B2

## CPC

- G01T 1/026: {Semiconductor dose-rate meters}
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)

## Abstract

The invention is the novel use of Quantum Dots (QDs) for radiation dosimetry and includes novel dosimetry devices, systems and methods. The devices, systems and methods have use in a variety of dosimetry applications such as personal, environmental and research. The system for detecting doses of ionizing radiation comprises; a matrix comprising a photoluminescent semiconductor nanocrystals; an illumination interface for exposing the matrix to non-ionizing radiation; a response characterization interface for measuring photoluminescence, scatter or the optical density of the matrix and identifying differences in the photoluminescence, scatter or optical density caused by exposure to ionizing radiation; and a readout interface to quantify the photoluminescence or optical density differences as doses of radiation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for detection of doses of ionizing radiation, said system comprising:
(a) a matrix comprising photoluminescent semiconductor nanocrystals;
(b) an illumination interface for exposing said matrix to non-ionizing radiation;
(c) a response characterization interface for measuring photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density of said matrix and identifying changes in said photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density caused by exposure to ionizing radiation; and
(d) a readout interface to quantify said changes in said photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density as a dose of radiation, wherein said changes in said photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density are selected from the group consisting of an increase or decrease in photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density, respectively, of any feature of a respective photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density spectrum and a frequency shift of any spectral feature of a respective photoluminescence, scatter or optical density spectrum.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said changes in said photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density vary with time elapsed after exposure of said matrix to said ionizing radiation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said changes in said photoluminescence, scatter or optical density are determined during said exposure to ionizing radiation, after said exposure, or both during and after said exposure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said readout interface further quantifies said changes in said photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density as an amount of time elapsed after said exposure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said nanocrystals are selected from a homogenous ensemble and a heterogeneous ensemble.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said matrix comprises cells, said system being usable for cellular dosimetry.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein said ionizing radiation originates from inside one or more cells.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein said nanocrystals preferentially adhere to an outer surface of at least one of said cells.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein said nanocrystals are conjugated with a member selected from the group consisting of an antibody that targets said preferentially adheres to a specific organelle inside at least one of said cells and a nucleotide that targets and preferentially adheres to DNA or RNA inside at least one of said cells.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein any of said nanocrystals and said antibody is labeled with radioactivity or any of said nanocrystals and said nucleotide is labeled with radioactivity.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein said nanocrystals are modified to be water soluble.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein said nanocrystals are modified with Cucurbituril.

### Claim 13

A method for detection and/or quantification of ionizing radiation dosages, the method comprising:
(a) exposing photoluminescent semiconductor nanocrystals to non-ionizing radiation to provide a first photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density measurement;
(b) exposing said nanocrystals to ionizing radiation;
(c) exposing said nanocrystals to non-ionizing radiation again to provide a second photoluminescence, scatter or optical density measurement;
(d) comparing the second measurement to the first measurement; and
(e) interpreting the difference as dose.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying said dose to a user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein said difference is selected from the group consisting of an increase or decrease in photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density, of any feature of a respective photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density spectrum and a frequency shift of any spectral feature of a photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density spectrum.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said difference varies with time elapsed after said exposing said nanocrystals to ionizing radiation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said second measurement is carried out during said exposing to ionizing radiation, after said exposing to ionizing radiation, or both during and after said exposing to ionizing radiation.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said first measurement is carried out prior to said exposing to ionizing radiation, said first measurement providing a baseline spectrum.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising interpreting said difference as an amount of time elapsed after said exposing to ionizing radiation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said nanocrystals are selected from a homogeneous ensemble and a heterogeneous ensemble.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said second measurement is carried out remotely and outside of a radiation field used for said exposing to ionizing radiation.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said nanocrystals are comprised within cells, said method being usable for cellular dosimetry.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein said ionizing radiation originates from outside of said cells or from inside of said cells.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein said nanocrystals preferentially adhere to an outer surface of at least one of said cells.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein said nanocyrstals are conjugated with a member selected from the group consisting of an antibody that targets and preferentially adheres to a specific organelle inside at least one of said cells and a nucleotide that targets and preferentially adheres to DNA or RNA inside at least one of said cells.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein any of said nanocrystals and said antibody or any of said nanocrystals and said nucleotide is labeled with radioactivity.

### Claim 27 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein said nanocrystals are modified to be water soluble.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein said nanocrystals are modified with Cucurbituril.

### Claim 29

An ionizing radiation dosimeter comprising:
(a) a substrate; and
(b) a matrix comprising photoluminescent semiconductor nanocrystals deposed as a layer on said substrate, the nanocrystals having a known photoluminescence, scatter, or optical density spectral response varying in accordance with a dose of ionizing radiation,
wherein said matrix comprises cells, said dosimeter being usable for cellular dosimetry,
further wherein said ionizing radiation originates from outside of said matrix, from inside of said matrix, or from inside one or more cells,
wherein said nanocrystals are conjugated with a member selected from the group consisting of an antibody that targets and preferentially adheres to a specific organelle inside at least one of said cells and a nucleotide that targets and preferentially adheres to DNA or RNA inside at least one of said cells, and further wherein said nanocrystals preferentially adhere to an outer surface of at least one of said cells.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The dosimeter of claim 29, wherein any of said nanocrystals and said antibody or any of said nanocrystals and said nucleotides is labeled with radioactivity.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The dosimeter of claim 29, wherein said nanocrystals are modified with Cucurbituril to be water soluble.