Method for verification of particles having a sensor area and sensor arrangement for carrying out this method

• US 7,446,870 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Holst, Jens-Christian, Steckenborn, Arno, Krüger, Ursus, Jensen, Jens Dahl, Arndt, Frank, Rönsch, Hendrik, Grahmann, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US11/527,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20070076207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/335
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0606 by collecting particles on a support
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0217 Smoke, combustion gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02408 Solids in gases, e.g. particle suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0256 Adsorption, desorption, surface mass change, e.g. on biosensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0423 Surface waves, e.g. Rayleigh waves, Love waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/022 Fluid sensors based on microsensors, e.g. quartz crystal-microbalance [QCM], surface acoustic wave [SAW] devices, tuning forks, cantilevers, flexural plate wave [FPW] devices microdevices per se B81B

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for verification of particles, in particular of nanoparticles (16), in which a sensor area (15) is made available for this purpose, on which the particles can accumulate. The invention also relates to a sensor arrangement having a sensor area (15) which is suitable for carrying out the method mentioned. The invention provides for a plurality of sensor areas (15) to be arranged, on which particles which each have different characteristics can accumulate. For example, this makes it possible to classify nanoparticles (16) of different size, thus advantageously allowing a statement to be made on the size distribution of the nanoparticles (16) in a nanopowder.

Claims

1. A method for verification of nanoparticles (16), said method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensor areas (15) on which the nanoparticles (16) to be verified accumulate when said nanoparticles (16) are present, and

monitoring the characteristics of the plurality of sensor areas (15) with respect to one parameter which varies on the basis of the accumulation of the nanoparticles (16),

wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are made available, and are sensitive to nanoparticles (16) of different sizes and the plurality of sensor areas have a specificity to specific size classes of nanoparticles.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are monitored in parallel.

3. The method as claimed claim 1, wherein the the plurality of sensor areas (15) are further sensitive to nanoparticles (16) of a different chemical nature or of a different composition.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality sensor areas (15) are formed by molecular imprinted surfaces.

5. A sensor arrangement comprising:

a plurality of sensor areas (15) on which nanoparticles (16) to be verified accumulate when said nanoparticles (16) are present, and

a monitoring apparatus (24, 25, 26) for the plurality of sensor areas (15), capable of determining a change in one parameter of at least one of the plurality of sensor areas (15) on the basis of the accumulation of the nanoparticles (16),

wherein the plurality of sensor areas (l5) are sensitive to nanoparticles (16) of different size ranges.

6. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are arranged alongside one another in an array (21).

7. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the size ranges which are predetermined by the sensitivity of the plurality of sensor areas (15) overlap.

8. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are formed in a micromechanical manner in the surface of a substrate (11), with the plurality of sensor areas being separated from one another by cutouts (14, 34) in this surface.

9. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises an electromagnetic transmitter (18), which is directed at the plurality of sensor areas, and a receiver (20) for radiation (19a, 19b) from the electromagnetic transmitter which has been reflected from the plurality of sensor areas (15).

10. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the monitoring apparatus contains a bearing (29), which can oscillate, for the plurality of sensor areas (15), an actuator (33) for oscillation excitation of the plurality of sensor areas, and a measurement device for the oscillation frequency and/or amplitude of the oscillations.

11. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are formed in a micromechanical manner in the surface of a substrate (11), with the plurality of sensor areas being separated from one another by cutouts (14, 34) in this surface.

12. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensor areas (15) are formed in a micromechanical manner in the surface of a substrate (11), with the plurality of sensor areas being separated from one another by cutouts (14, 34) in this surface.

13. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises an electromagnetic transmitter (18), which is directed at the plurality of sensor areas, and a receiver (20) for radiation (19a, 19b) from the electromagnetic transmitter which has been reflected from the plurality of sensor areas (15).

14. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the monitoring apparatus comprises an electromagnetic transmitter (18), which is directed at the plurality of sensor areas, and a receiver (20) for radiation (19a, 19b) from the electromagnetic transmitter which has been reflected from the plurality of sensor areas (15).

15. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the monitoring apparatus contains a bearing (29), which can oscillate, for the plurality of sensor areas (15), an actuator (33) for oscillation excitation of the plurality of sensor areas, and a measurement device for the oscillation frequency and/or amplitude of the oscillations.

16. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the monitoring apparatus contains a bearing (29), which can oscillate, for the plurality of sensor areas (15), an actuator (33) for oscillation excitation of the plurality of sensor areas, and a measurement device for the oscillation frequency and/or amplitude of the oscillations.

17. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the monitoring apparatus contains a bearing (29), which can oscillate, for the plurality of sensor areas (15), an actuator (33) for oscillation excitation of the plurality of sensor areas, and a measurement device for the oscillation frequency and/or amplitude of the oscillations.