US 11,867,601 B2
Method of optical characterisation of liquids
Emil Højlund-Nielsen, København Ø (DK); Christopher James Lüscher, Valby (DK); and Thomas Tølbøl Sørensen, Kongens Lyngby (DK)
Assigned to Copenhagen Nanosystems ApS, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
Appl. No. 17/286,608
Filed by Copenhagen Nanosystems ApS, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
PCT Filed Oct. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/079256
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 19, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/084141, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2018 70699 (DK), filed on Oct. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0372909 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 15/02 (2006.01); G01N 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 15/0211 (2013.01) [G01N 15/14 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1493 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of liquid characterisation using an optical characterisation system, the optical characterisation system comprising:
an optical element comprising a light source and light detector, and defining a light path extending between the light source and light detector, the detector being able to resolve light intensities at varying wavelengths;
a liquid container comprising first and second container surfaces defining at least part of an interior of the liquid container, at least part of the first and second container surfaces being transparent and parallel; and
a photonic crystal being attached to or being integrally formed with the first container surface and facing the interior, the photonic crystal comprising a first grating part having a first modulation period defined in a first plane,
wherein the method comprises the steps of:
recording a first transmission spectrum, wherein at least part of the first and second container surfaces, the interior containing liquid and the photonic crystal intercept the light path, and the interior intercepts the light path before the photonic crystal; and
recording a second transmission spectrum, wherein at least part of the first and second container surfaces, the interior containing liquid and the photonic crystal intercept the light path, and the photonic crystal intercepts the light path before the interior,
wherein the method comprises a step of deriving a quantitative measure of scattering from any particles in the liquid by analysing the first and second transmission spectra, and
wherein the method comprises a step of deriving the average size of particles in the liquid comprising comparatively analysing the first and second transmission spectra, and/or
wherein the method comprises a step of deriving the size distribution of particles in the liquid comprising comparatively analysing the first and second transmission spectra.