Patent ID: 8344121

Claim:
A single probe molecule for a target biomolecule, comprising: a molecular linker comprising a tether and a molecular rod, wherein the length of the rod is shorter than the persistence length of the rod material and the length of the tether is greater than the persistence length of the tether material; a first functional group at one end of the molecular linker; and a second functional group at the other end of the molecular linker, wherein the first and second functional groups are linked and spaced by the molecular linker, wherein the functional groups are capable of interacting with one another or with the target biomolecule in a predetermined reaction, wherein the molecular linker links the first and second functional groups sufficiently spaced from one another such that the functional groups do not substantially interact in an absence of the target biomolecule but interact in a presence of the target biomolecule to provide a signal of the presence of the biomolecule.