Micro UV detector
First Claim
1. A biological aerosol detector comprising:
- an excitation source having a primary emission band and a secondary emission band, wherein the primary emission band is configured to excite a sample;
an optical cavity in which the sample is excited by radiation from the excitation source;
filtering optics configured to attenuate radiation emitted in the secondary emission band; and
a housing for an elliptical mirror that creates the optical cavity and an orifice in the housing that acts as a control aperture to limit stray radiation from entering the optical cavity, and wherein the orifice comprises a UV absorptive material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biological aerosol detector is provided. The biological aerosol detector uses a semiconductor optical source with an ultraviolet emission band to excite biological molecules in an aerosol sample. Filtering optics are configured to attenuate radiation from a secondary emission band of the optical source to prevent false signals due to scattering of secondary emission band radiation from non-biological molecules. An intake/exhaust manifold that includes an intake pipe that fits within a concentric exhaust pipe is also provided. The intake/exhaust manifold planarizes the flow of the sampled aerosol to maximize the time of irradiation. An electrostatic sampling grid is also provided to selectively draw biological molecules having a net charge into the optical chamber.
18 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A biological aerosol detector comprising:
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an excitation source having a primary emission band and a secondary emission band, wherein the primary emission band is configured to excite a sample; an optical cavity in which the sample is excited by radiation from the excitation source; filtering optics configured to attenuate radiation emitted in the secondary emission band; and a housing for an elliptical mirror that creates the optical cavity and an orifice in the housing that acts as a control aperture to limit stray radiation from entering the optical cavity, and wherein the orifice comprises a UV absorptive material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A biological aerosol detector comprising:
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an optical excitation source; an optical cavity in which a sampled aerosol is irradiated by the optical excitation source; a housing, enclosing the optical cavity; and a combined intake and exhaust gas manifold passing through the housing and into the optical cavity, wherein the combined intake and exhaust gas manifold collects the sampled aerosol and directs it into the optical cavity, and exhausts the sampled aerosol from the optical cavity, and wherein the combined intake and exhaust gas manifold samples the aerosol and directs it into the optical cavity and exhausts the sampled aerosol from the optical cavity in the same plane, and further wherein the combined intake and exhaust gas manifold further comprises; an intake pipe of a first length having one end external to and one end internal to the housing forming the optical cavity; an exhaust pipe of a second length that is less than the first length, having one end external to and one end internal to the housing forming the optical cavity the exhaust pipe completely surrounding the intake pipe over a portion of the length of the intake pipe lying between the ends of the intake pipe. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A biological aerosol detector comprising:
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an optical excitation source; an optical cavity in which a sampled aerosol is irradiated by the optical excitation source; a housing, enclosing the optical cavity having two holes bored therethrough along a line that forms a sampling axis; a pair of electrical grids located external to the housing and on either side of the holes that form the sampling axis; and a power source attached to the pair of electrical grids to generate an electric field between the pair of electrical grids, the electric field causing the preferential sampling of aerosol molecules having a net electrical charge. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification