This invention provides a novel fluorescent particle including a core or carrier
particle having on its surface a plurality of smaller polymeric particles or nanoparticles,
which are stained with different fluorescent dyes. When excited by a light source
they are capable of giving off multiple fluorescent emissions simultaneously, which
is useful for multiplexed analysis of a plurality of analytes in a sample. The
coupled complex particles carrying on their surface fluorescent nanoparticles,
methods of preparing such polymer particles, and various applications and methods
of using such particles are claimed.
