Advanced systems and methods for interferometric particle detection and detection of particles having small size dimensions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021208054-A1
Application number	US-202016953987-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2020
Priority date	Nov 22, 2019
Publication date	Jul 8, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to interferometric detection of particles and optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm. Systems and methods are provided exhibiting enhanced alignment and stability for interferometric detection of particles and/or optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm. Systems and methods are provided that include compensation means for mitigating the impact of internal and external stimuli and changes in operating conditions that can degrade the sensitivity and reliability of particle detection via optical methods, including interferometric-based techniques and/or systems for optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm.

First claim

1 . A particle detection system comprising:
a flow cell for flowing a fluid containing particles; an optical source for generating one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation; a beam shaping optical system for passing said one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation through said flow cell, thereby generating electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particles; at least one optical detector array for receiving electromagnetic radiation from said flow cell, wherein said optical source, beam shaping optical system and optical detector array are configured to allow for interferometric detection of said particles and/or optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm; and wherein the system is configured such that at least one of a temperature, pressure, extent of vibrations, and extent of acoustic waves, or any combination of these are each independently maintained to be within a selected tolerance, so as to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio during said detection of said particles.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical source, beam shaping optical system and optical detector array are configured to provide at least one of structured beam interferometric detection of said particles by passing a structured probe beam of coherent electromagnetic radiation through said flow cell, or heterodyne interferometric detection of said particles by collecting off-axis scattered light and combining the off-axis scattered light scattered light with a reference beam to create the interferometric signal.

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical source and optical detector array are configured to provide structured dark beam interferometric detection of said particles.

6 . (canceled)

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical detector array is positioned in optical communication with said flow cell for receiving incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted through said flow cell and electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particle, and wherein said electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particle comprises forward scattered electromagnetic radiation.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical detector array is positioned in optical communication with said flow cell for receiving incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted through said flow cell and electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particle, and wherein said incident electromagnetic radiation transmitted through said flow cell and said electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particle undergo constructive and/or destructive optical interference.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said optical detector array is provided at a scattering angle that is within 5 degrees of zero degrees relative to the optical axis of the incident beam.

10 . (canceled)

11 . (canceled)

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said system provides interferometric detection of said particles and/or optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm without significant performance degradation of the internal particle counting process when subjected to one or more of the following conditions:
i. a change in T up to 5° C. at a rate of less than 1° C./hr; ii. a change in P up to 300 mbar; iii. a change in beam path length up to 10 mm; iv. a change in beam focus position up to 2 mm; v. a change in beam power of up to 20%; vi. vibration level I up to 200 microns/sec; vii. a change in beam angle up to +/−5 degrees; viii. a condition of laser noise up to <2% (RMS); ix. a change in M 2 of laser up to <1.3; x. a change in linewidth of laser up to <100 MHz; xi. a change in RH up to <50%; xii. controlling electric (line power) stability and noise; and xiii. any combinations of these

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprise a controller operationally coupled to said flow cell, optical source, beam shaping optical system, optical detector array or any combination of these, said controller for compensating for changes in said system parameters in response to ambient conditions, internal stimuli, external stimuli or any combination of these, wherein said ambient conditions, internal stimuli or external stimuli are selected from the group consisting of change in temperature, change in pressure, vibration, acoustic waves, or any combination of these.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said controller is a beam alignment system for monitoring position of said one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation and actively controlling the positioning and/or alignment of the flow cell, optical source, beam shaping optical system, optical detector array or any combination of these so as to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio during said detection of said particles, and
wherein said beam alignment system provides for at least one of (1) compensation for thermal expansion optical drift, (2) low frequency vibration compensation, or (3) real-time control of the positioning and/or alignment of the flow cell, optical source, beam shaping optical system, optical detector array or any combination of these to within 5 microradians or less at a frequency of 250 Hz or greater.

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein said beam alignment system is a closed loop system

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein said beam alignment system comprises a one or more photosensors and an actuator system.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more photosensors are quadrature photosensors positioned of said system and the actuator system comprises one or more piezo-electric-driven nanopositioners.

22 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the photosensors provide inputs to a closed loop system and the actuator system provide outputs to said closed loop system.

23 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said controller is an isolator or multiple isolators for isolating said flow cell, optical source, beam shaping optical system, optical detector array from changes in ambient conditions, internal stimuli, external stimuli of an operation environment or any combination of these, and wherein said isolator is a dampening component capable of at least one of (1) at least partially preventing transmission of vibrations from an external operation environment to said system, or (2) at least partially preventing transmission of vibrations originating from within the system itself.

24 . (canceled)

25 . (canceled)

26 . The system of claim 23 , wherein said dampening component is designed to reduce transmission of vibrations having a fundamental frequency of 60 Hz and above to less than 1%.

27 . The system of claim 23 , wherein said dampening component comprises a dampened spring mechanism, at least two mass dampers or any combination of these.

28 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said controller is an active cooling component capable of controlling the temperature of, and is in thermal communication via conductive heat links with, the flow cell, optical source, beam shaping optical system, optical detector array or any combination of these.

29 . (canceled)

30 . The system of claim 28 , wherein said active cooling component comprises a thermoelectric cooler.

Assignees

• Particle Measuring Syst

Inventors

• Ellis Timothy A
• Bonino Chris
• Knollenberg Brian A
• Lumpkin James
• Rodier Daniel
• Sehler Dwight
• Moghaddam Mehran Vahdani
• Ramin Thomas

Classifications

• G01N2015/1454

  using phase shift or interference, e.g. for improving contrast · CPC title

• G01N2015/0046

  in gas, e.g. smoke · CPC title

• G01N15/1459 Primary

  the analysis being performed on a sample stream · CPC title

• G01N15/1436 Primary

  the optical arrangement forming an integrated apparatus with the sample container, e.g. a flow cell · CPC title

• G01N2015/1452

  Adjustment of focus; Alignment · CPC title