Patent ID: 7601331

Claim:
A Near Infrared Sensitive (NIR-sensitive) nanoparticle complex comprising a NIR-sensitive nanoparticle and surfactant(s) adsorbed on the nanoparticle, wherein the surfactant is at least one surfactant selected from: wherein X=1-9; Y=0-9; n=0-9; Z=1-9; W=0-9; m=0-9; each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently, if present, is H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 aryl, HS, COOH, NH 2 or OH; R 5 is COOH, NH 2 or OH; with the proviso that n+m is <10; (b) an amino acid having the structure in (a), wherein X=1; Y=2; Z=1; W=1; R 1 , R 2 and R 4 are not present; R 3 is NH 2 ; and R 5 is COOH; or (c) a peptide, wherein the peptide comprise at least one amino acid (b) and consisting of a sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.