Electrochemical synthesis and optical readout of striped metal rods with submicron features

Fluorescent molecules are widely used as identification tags in both analytical and bioanalytical chemistry. This manuscript describes an electrochemical approach to the manufacture of submicron metal barcodes for application as identification tags. These Nanobarcodes™ identification tags (NBCs), are prepared via the sequential electrodeposition of various metals within an alumina template. The striped particles grow as replicas of the pores of the membrane, and can be released from the membrane through chemical treatment. The striping pattern of NBCs can be read out via optical microscopy, and allows for the synthesis of large numbers of distinguishable tags. Herein, we address the synthesis of these NBCs and the use of software that can be used to identify specific NBCs in optical microscope images containing several distinct species of NBCs.