US 11,988,593 B2
Advanced systems and methods for interferometric particle detection and detection of particles having small size dimensions
Timothy A Ellis, Boulder, CO (US); Chris Bonino, Boulder, CO (US); Brian A. Knollenberg, Boulder, CO (US); James Lumpkin, Boulder, CO (US); Daniel Rodier, Boulder, CO (US); Dwight Sehler, Boulder, CO (US); Mehran Vahdani Moghaddam, Boulder, CO (US); and Thomas Ramin, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to PARTICLE MEASURING SYSTEMS, INC., Boulder, CO (US)
Filed by Particle Measuring Systems, Inc., Boulder, CO (US)
Filed on Nov. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/953,987.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/939,232, filed on Nov. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0208054 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 15/14 (2006.01); G01N 15/1434 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 15/1436 (2013.01) [G01N 2015/1452 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1454 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A particle detection system comprising:
optical components, the optical components including:
a flow cell for flowing a fluid containing particles;
an optical source for generating one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation;
a beam shaping optical system for passing said one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation through said flow cell, thereby generating electromagnetic radiation scattered by said particles; and
at least one optical detector array for receiving the scattered electromagnetic radiation from said flow cell, wherein said optical source, beam shaping optical system and optical detector array are configured to allow for detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm;
an optical bench, wherein the flow cell, the optical source, the beam shaping optical system, and the at least one optical detector array are supported by the optical bench
a particle detector housing enclosing the optical bench and the optical components thereon such that the optical bench and the optical components thereon are thermally isolated from an external environment;
an active temperature control system comprising:
a first closed loop temperature control system configured to control the temperature of the optical source, the first closed loop temperature control system comprising:
a first thermoelectric cooler and a first temperature sensor, the first thermoelectric cooler and the first temperature sensor being thermally coupled to an inner space of the optical source;
a first temperature controller in electrical communication with the first thermoelectric cooler and the first temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature controller is configured to control the temperature of the inner space of the optical source; and
a second closed loop temperature control system configured to control the temperature of an interior volume of the particle detector housing, the interior volume being defined by one or more interior surfaces of the housing, wherein the optical bench and the optical components thereon, including the optical source, are disposed in the interior volume of the housing, the second closed loop temperature control system comprising:
a second thermoelectric cooler configured to cool a heat transfer medium circulating within the housing and a second temperature sensor being thermally coupled to the interior volume of the housing;
a fluid circulation device disposed within the housing and configured to circulate the heat transfer medium throughout; and
a vibration isolation device configured to reduce vibrations transmitted from the fluid circulation device to the optical bench;
wherein the active temperature control system is configured to control a temperature of the interior volume of the enclosure including the optical bench and the components thereon; and
wherein the system is further configured to control at least one of: pressure, extent of vibrations, and extent of acoustic waves, or any combination of these to be within a selected tolerance, so as to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio during said detection of said particles.