Analysis systems detecting particle size and fluorescence
First Claim
1. A process for analyzing particles, including:
- moving multiple particles serially along a predetermined path;
irradiating each particle with excitation energy as it traverses the path, wherein the excitation energy comprises energy at a first excitation frequency selected to cause a responsive emission depending on particle composition;
in connection with each irradiation of a particle, sensing for a responsive emission to determine an emissive response profile associated with the particle; and
selecting, for further analysis, only the particles associated with emissive response profiles that coincide with a predetermined reference profile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Particle analyzing systems with fluorescence detection are disclosed, primarily in connection with particle sizing based on scattered light intensity or time-of-flight measurement. In one system, emission of fluorescence is used as a threshold for selecting particles for further analysis, e.g. mass spectrometry. In another embodiment, laser beams arranged sequentially along an aerosol path are selectively switched on and off, to increase the useful life of components, and diminish the potential for interference among several signals. Other embodiments advantageously employ color discrimination in aerodynamic particle sizing, single detectors positioned to sense both scattered and emitted fluorescent radiation, and laser beam amplitude or gain control to enhance the range of fluorescence detection.
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Citations
71 Claims
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1. A process for analyzing particles, including:
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moving multiple particles serially along a predetermined path; irradiating each particle with excitation energy as it traverses the path, wherein the excitation energy comprises energy at a first excitation frequency selected to cause a responsive emission depending on particle composition; in connection with each irradiation of a particle, sensing for a responsive emission to determine an emissive response profile associated with the particle; and selecting, for further analysis, only the particles associated with emissive response profiles that coincide with a predetermined reference profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for analyzing particles, including:
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a flow generating device for moving a particle-containing fluid along a designated path to carry the particles serially along the dedicated path; an excitation component for providing excitation energy comprising energy at a first excitation frequency selected to cause a responsive emission depending on particle composition, and for irradiating the particles individually as they traverse the designated path; a sensing component adapted to detect responsive emissions, operative in response to each irradiation of a particle to determine an emissive response profile associated with the particle; and a selecting component adapted to select for further analysis only the particles with associated emissive response profiles that coincide with a predetermined reference profile. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A process for characterizing particles with controlled coherent energy sources, including:
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moving multiple particles serially along a predetermined path; generating a first coherent energy beam using a first source operable to adjust the first beam between a first state comprising a high amplitude operating mode and a second state comprising either a low amplitude operating mode or an inactive state; generating a second coherent energy beam using a second source operable to adjust the second beam between a first state comprising a high amplitude operating mode and a second state comprising either a low amplitude operating mode or an inactive state; while maintaining the first beam primarily in the first state, causing the first beam to intersect the predetermined path at a first location to irradiate each particle as it travels past the first location; causing the second beam to intersect the predetermined path at a second location downstream of the first location, whereby the second beam is positioned to irradiate each particle as it passes the second location; with respect to each particle, detecting a first response comprising radiant energy emanating from the particle in response to irradiation by the first beam; and responsive to detecting the first response, and before the particle reaches the second location, operating the first source to switch the first beam from the first state to the second state. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A particle characterizing apparatus with controllable coherent energy sources, including:
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a flow generating device for moving a particle-containing fluid along a designated path to carry the particles serially along the path; a first source adapted to generate a first coherent energy beam positioned to intersect the designated path at a first location for a first irradiation of each particle as it travels along the path, said first source being operable to adjust the first beam between a first state comprising a high amplitude operating mode, and a second state comprising either a low amplitude operating mode or an inactive state, wherein the first source further is adapted to maintain the first beam primarily in the first state; a second source adapted to generate a second coherent energy beam positioned to intersect the designated path at a second location downstream of the first location for a second irradiation of each particle as it travels along the path, said second source being operable to adjust the second beam between a first state comprising a high amplitude operating mode, and a second state comprising either a low amplitude operating mode or an inactive state; a sensing component for detecting a first response comprising radiant energy emanating from the particle in response to the first irradiation, and adapted to generate a first signal upon said detecting; and a control channel coupled to the sensing component to receive the first signal and coupled to the first source, adapted to cause the first source to switch the first beam from the first state to the second state in response to receiving the first signal. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A particle detection apparatus, including:
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a flow generating device for moving multiple particles serially along a predetermined path; a coherent energy source for causing a first beam having a first wavelength to intersect the predetermined path at a first location; a coherent energy source for causing a second beam to intersect the predetermined path at a second location, the second beam having a second wavelength shorter than the first wavelength and selected to trigger a responsive emission dependent on particle composition; and a detector disposed proximate the predetermined path to detect energy at the first wavelength scattered by the particle as it travels past the first location, and to detect energy including a third wavelength emitted by the particle in response to irradiation by the second beam as it travels past the second location; wherein the third wavelength is longer than the second wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. In an aerosol characterizing system including a first radiant energy beam irradiating aerosol particles at a first location along a path, a second radiant energy beam for irradiating the aerosol particles as they travel past a second location downstream of the first location, a first sensor adapted to detect energy scattered by the particles as they pass the first location and generating a first sensor output that varies with intensity of scattered energy, and a second sensor for detecting fluorescent energy emitted by each particle at the second location in response to irradiation by the second beam and generating a second output that varies with intensity of the fluorescent energy;
- a process for dynamically controlling the second sensor output, including;
detecting an amplitude of the first sensor output; detecting an amplitude of the second sensor output;
detecting an amplitude of the second beam; and
either;(i) reducing the amplitude of the second beam, in response to detecting the first sensor output at an amplitude that exceeds a given maximum; (ii) reducing a gain of the second sensor, in response to detecting the first sensor output at an amplitude that exceeds the given maximum;
or(iii) increasing an amplitude of the second beam according to a substantially linear ramp function while simultaneously monitoring a selected one of the second sensor output and the second beam amplitude, and clamping the ramp function when reaching a given maximum associated with the selected one. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66)
- a process for dynamically controlling the second sensor output, including;
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62. A particle sizing system, including:
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a flow generating device for moving multiple particles serially along a predetermined path and causing the particles to accelerate along at least part of the path; a coherent energy source for causing a first beam to intersect the predetermined path at a first location; a coherent energy source for causing a second beam to intersect the predetermined path at a second location spaced apart from the first location; a first sensor positioned to detect energy at the first wavelength emanating from each of the particles in response to irradiation by the first beam as it travels past the first location; a second sensor positioned to detect energy at a second wavelength emanating from each of the particles in response to irradiation by the second beam as it travels past the second location, wherein the second wavelength is different from the first wavelength; and a timing component for determining a time for each particle to travel between the first and second locations, based on the outputs of the first and second detectors, wherein the timing component is adapted to identify the output of an upstream one of the first and second detectors as a time measurement starting point and to identify the output of the other of the sensors as a time measurement ending point, based on the difference in wavelengths of the energy detected by the first and second sensors, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification