Two-dimensional optical imaging methods and systems for particle detection
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a single particle in a fluid flow, said method comprising the steps:
- providing said fluid flow having said particle;
exposing said fluid flow to a beam of electromagnetic radiation by passing said particle in said fluid flow through said beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein interaction between said particle and said beam of electromagnetic radiation generates scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle;
directing at least a portion of said scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle onto a plurality of detector elements provided in an array of a two-dimensional detector;
detecting at least a portion of the scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle for a single particle detection event corresponding to passage of said particle through said beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least a portion of said detector elements of said array generate output signals corresponding to detected intensities of said scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle,generating a plurality of detection frames of said two-dimensional detector for said single particle detection event corresponding to a sequence of images of said particle passing through said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
wherein each detection frame comprises a plurality of said output signals of at least a portion of said detector elements of said two-dimensional detector for a given time interval;
wherein said time interval of each of said detection frames is less than the time it takes for the particle to traverse said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
combining a plurality of said detection frames to provide a composite image of a said single particle detection event;
wherein said composite image comprises a composite of data points resulting from a combination of at least a portion of the output signals for said plurality of detection frames for said single particle detection event;
analyzing said composite image to determine a size of the particle, thereby detecting said particle.
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and systems for particle detection and analysis using two-dimensional optical imaging to access enhanced detection sensitivity and expanded sensing functionality relative to conventional point and array detection-based optical particle counters. Methods and systems of the present invention provide a two-dimensional optical imaging-based particle sensing platform wherein system components and specifications are selected to generate reproducible and readily identifiable signals, including particle detection signatures, from optical scattering or emission from particles provided to the system. Systems and methods of the present invention are capable of accurately and sensitively detecting, identifying, and characterizing (e.g., determining the size of) particles in liquid phase or gas phase samples.
260 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a single particle in a fluid flow, said method comprising the steps:
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providing said fluid flow having said particle; exposing said fluid flow to a beam of electromagnetic radiation by passing said particle in said fluid flow through said beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein interaction between said particle and said beam of electromagnetic radiation generates scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle; directing at least a portion of said scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle onto a plurality of detector elements provided in an array of a two-dimensional detector; detecting at least a portion of the scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle for a single particle detection event corresponding to passage of said particle through said beam of electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least a portion of said detector elements of said array generate output signals corresponding to detected intensities of said scattered or emitted electromagnetic radiation from said particle, generating a plurality of detection frames of said two-dimensional detector for said single particle detection event corresponding to a sequence of images of said particle passing through said beam of electromagnetic radiation;
wherein each detection frame comprises a plurality of said output signals of at least a portion of said detector elements of said two-dimensional detector for a given time interval;
wherein said time interval of each of said detection frames is less than the time it takes for the particle to traverse said beam of electromagnetic radiation;combining a plurality of said detection frames to provide a composite image of a said single particle detection event; wherein said composite image comprises a composite of data points resulting from a combination of at least a portion of the output signals for said plurality of detection frames for said single particle detection event; analyzing said composite image to determine a size of the particle, thereby detecting said particle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification