Transmission Fluctuation Spectrometry with Spatial Correlation

Transmission fluctuation spectrometry (TFS) is being developed as a new method of particle size analysis. In the early approaches, the particle suspension was illuminated by one beam with finite beam diameter and the transmission signals underwent a process with variable spatial and/or temporal averaging and a subsequent nonlinear operation. The transmission fluctuations were obtained as a spectrum which included the information on particle size distribution and particle concentration. A new approach presented here employs two narrow parallel beams. While changing the beam separation, the transmission fluctuations of these two beams are expressed in terms of the expectancy of the transmission product (ETP). The analytical expression of the ETP through a monolayer is derived and the ETP of a 3‐dimensional suspension is formulated based on the layer model. The deviation between the transition functions of 3‐dimensional suspensions and monolayers is found to be affected by effects from particle overlapping and monolayer structure.     

Formation of soliton-like light beams in an aqueous suspension of polystyrene particles

A Kerr nonlinear medium consisting of an aqueous suspension of dielectric nanoparticles is used for the observation of continuous self-focusing of laser light. The minimum width of the soliton-like beam is measured in relation to the radiation power and the particle concentration. The possibilities of maximum narrowing of the beam in such a medium are discussed.     

斜入射引入动态多重散射机制的激光散斑抑制

散斑抑制一直是激光显示技术的研究热点。对激光光束经SiO₂溶液所形成散斑的特性分析,建立了多重散射与散斑颗粒大小的联系。结合动态光散射理论,提出利用斜入射引入动态多重散射机制的激光散斑抑制方法,并构建由静态散射片和装有粒径为300 nm、摩尔浓度为3.0×10-4 μm-3的SiO₂悬浮液的光通管组成的散斑抑制装置,将其置入激光显示系统的光源部分。针对光束以不同入射角进入SiO₂悬浮液对散斑图像对比度影响进行了系统实验分析。结果表明,光束以约8°进入SiO₂悬浮液能将散斑图像的对比度从0.43降低至0.067。通过该方法实现了散斑颗粒的空间平均和散斑图像的时间平均,提高了散斑抑制的效果。散斑抑制单元无需振动装置且便于集成到激光投影系统中,不仅提高了系统的可靠性也减小了成本。     

颗粒溶液颗粒尺寸及浓度的差分偏振弹性散射光谱在线分析方法

偏振弹性散射光谱技术的基本原理为在偏振光入射条件下,根据出射光的偏振特性不同可以筛选出浅表层组织的单次散射光信息和深层组织的漫散射光信息。该研究的创新点在于将这种方法应用于颗粒溶液检测,目的是在颗粒溶液原始状态下实现对颗粒尺寸及浓度的同时检测。设计了一个共轴笼式光学系统,测量了聚苯乙烯微球颗粒溶液某一角度的背向散射信号,通过控制入射端和收集端偏振片的偏振方向获得了颗粒溶液的偏振平行光谱与偏振垂直光谱,两者之差即偏振差分光谱对应颗粒的单次散射信息,将该单次散射信息与Mie散射数据库进行比对获得颗粒的尺寸,然后在颗粒尺寸作为已知的条件下进一步分析偏振垂直光谱,将该垂直光谱对应的颗粒溶液的漫散射信息代入光漫散射下的近似表达式拟合得到颗粒的浓度信息。将实验结果与样品提供值进行了比对,并进一步分析了在获取颗粒数浓度时,颗粒直径的方差分布对结果的影响,最终验证了该实验方法的可行性。该方法的潜在应用包括对标准颗粒制造厂商的产品在线检测以及对牛奶制品中脂肪和蛋白质的浓度检测研究。     

The Fundamentals of Particle Size Analysis by Transmission Fluctuation Spectrometry.

A transmission signal measured on a flowing suspension of particles with a high spatial and temporal resolution shows significant fluctuations, which contain the complete information on particle size distribution and particle concentration. In Parts 1 and 2, the basic properties of signal fluctuations were studied for temporal averaging by a gliding time window and for spatial averaging by a circular beam of uniform intensity. However, the experimental implementation of such conditions is difficult. Now, the theory is extended for Gaussian beams of variable diameter and averaging by signal filtering in the frequency domain. This provides the basis for an experimental implementation by transmission of a laser beam and analog signal processing by an array of low pass filters.     

Experimental and theoretical study of the transient rotation of isotropic transparent microparticles in astigmatic optical tweezers

Micrometer-sized rod-like non-birefringent transparent particles trapped by an astigmatic laser beam having elliptical intensity profile spontaneously rotate until they become aligned with the major axis of the beam cross-section. The observed rotation confirms a simple picture based on orbital angular momentum transfer from the light beam to the trapped particle. A model which regards the particle as a thin cylindrical lens with effective focal lengths f₁ and f₂ has allowed to calculate the applied optical torque and, hence, the time law governing the particle alignment. The time evolution of the particle alignment is studied for different rod-like particles by analysing the sequence of frames recorded by a CCD camera. The time evolution of the angle formed between the main axes of the body and the laser shape results in good agreement with the theory for bodies fully immersed in the spot size of the laser. Discrepancies observed for rod-like particles longer than the minor elliptical axis of the beam cross-section, were removed by developing a more general model taking into account the partial overlapping between the body and the laser profile.     

Sedimentation Image Analysis (SIA) for the Simultaneous Determination of Particle Mass Density and Particle Size

A new method for the simultaneous determination of the distribution of particle mass density and the distribution of particle size with a technique with only a single measurement is presented. The basic idea of the new optical method is the analysis of gravitational particle settling by a digital image acquisition system. Individual particles illuminated by a laser light sheet are tracked by a continuously operating CCD camera. The projected area, shape factors and the centre of gravity are detected during the sedimentation process from a series of images with a constant time spread. As the algorithm is based on single particle tracking, the heterogeneity of the sample can be taken into account. From these measured particle characteristics, particle size and settling rate are calculated. Thus particle mass density is obtained taking into account also the influence of particle shape on the settling process. This method, which we name sedimentation image analysis (SIA), is particularly suitable for the characterization of heterogeneous material, e.g. soil, in the micrometer range.     

Combustion of micron-sized particles of titanium and zirconium

Particles of titanium and zirconium in the size range of 2–25 μm are ignited while passing through a CO₂ laser beam and their combustion is monitored optically. Prior to ignition, particles pass through a low-power auxiliary laser beam so that the diameter of each ignited particle is measured in situ based on the amplitude of the scattered light pulse. The particles of both Ti and Zr are observed to exhibit micro explosions, similar to those observed for larger size particles of these metals. Particle emission traces are recorded, and a data processing routine is established for discounting emission signals produced by unignited particles and particles partially combusted within the CO₂ laser beam. Burn times and combustion temperatures are measured and compared to earlier measurements for coarser particles of the same metals. For both metals, average combustion temperatures implied by the emission spectra are very close to their respective adiabatic flame temperatures. For both metals, for the particle size range considered, particle combustion temperatures do not depend on the particle size. The particle burn times were found to be only weak functions of the particle size; burn times for Zr are shorter and temperatures are higher compared to the similarly sized Ti particles.     

合肥光源新的束团截面及发射度测量系统的研制

介绍了合肥光源储存环紫外光束团截面及束流发射度测量系统. 本系统采用光学探测, 由光学成像和图像采集处理两大部分组成. 光学成像部分利用光学成像将中心波长366.1nm紫外光1:1成像于CCD探测器上. 图像采集处理部分将CCD探测器采集的视频信号由电缆输出到图像采集卡进行图像采集, 然后由LabVIEW程序进行数据处理获得束团截面尺寸以及束流发射度和耦合度, 最后给出了实验结果.     

Locally Resolving Measurements of PSD,Particle Concentration and Particle Velocity by Means of TFS with Dual Beams

Transmission fluctuation spectrometry with spatial correlation (TFS‐SC) is based on transmitting two beams of radiation through a flowing suspension, whereby the distance of the beam centers is varied. Thus, the spatial correlation of the transmission fluctuations of the two beams is determined as a function of the beam distance. By numerical modeling, the transition functions of the correlation are found as a function of beam distance, beam diameters, particle diameter and beam intersection angle. Experimentally determined spatial correlation spectra can be inverted to obtain the particle concentration and particle size distribution by using the theoretical transition functions for mono‐sized particles. In addition, time correlations can be used to extract information on particle velocity. Some experimental results obtained by TFS‐SC are presented and discussed. This method appears promising for application in the local resolving of measurements of PSD, particle concentration and particle velocity in two‐phase flows, both in the laboratory and in process control.     

Modeling Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement and its Application to Sizing of Particles of Variable Shape

A model for particle detection in focused beam reflectance measurement is presented in the general case of particles of any convex shape. Shape dependent convolution relationships between measured chord length distribution (CLD), particle size distribution (PSD) and particle mass distribution (PMD) are derived and an explicit formula for the weighting characteristic length is given in terms of particle shape. Based on the derived convolution relationships, equations relating moments of the CLD, PSD and PMD are obtained. Issues related to the definition of particle size of non spherical objects and its connection to the particle sizing technique are discussed. Based on the moment relationships, particle size is defined for focused beam reflectance measurement measurements in terms of a CLD equivalent sphere. CLD and characteristic length for a thin cylinder are obtained analytically and used as simple model in order to illustrate issues in sizing particles of variable shape. General conclusions regarding the role of the weighting characteristic length on the behavior of the measured CLD are drawn.     

Forward Scattering Signature of a Spherical Particle Crossing a Laser Beam out of the Beam Waist

When a particle crosses a laser beam out of the focal plane, the light attenuation signal occuring on the beam axis contains some information regarding the particle size and trajectory. These attenuation signatures are analysed and predicted with a simplified model based on Fraunhofer diffraction. Numerical and experimental results are found to be in good agreement. A modified laser Doppler velocimeter using this sizing method is able to perform simulataneous measurement of size and velocity of spherical particle in the range 10 μm–500 μm.     

混浊介质中后向单次漫散射米勒矩阵特征

采用斯托克斯(Stokes)矢量形式,推导出当无限窄的连续光束垂直入射到混浊介质表面时,后向单次漫散射米勒(Mueller)矩阵的解析表达式。基于米氏(Mie)散射模式,详细分析了单次散射米勒矩阵元素的分布模式,以及与介质粒子数密度,粒子尺寸参量之间的关系。研究表明:单次散射米勒矩阵的方位变化随粒子数密度的增加,逐渐消失,而矩阵元素m22,m33,m23,m32随粒子数密度的变化,具有更显著的方位变化特征。矩阵元素m22,m33在方位角=45°时的值随尺寸参量的变化有一定的规律性,当尺寸参量小于某一特征参量时,其值呈下降趋势,反之则呈波动上升趋势。当介质粒子数密度以及粒子尺寸参量改变时,米勒矩阵元素强度的径向分布模式不变,即在任何方位,强度随径向距离都近似成指数规律衰减,方位变化呈周期性。     

In situ characterization of nanoparticles during growth by means of white light scattering

A simple method of characterization of suspensions of spherical nanoparticles with monotonically variable size is proposed. It allows for the in situ measurement of the particle size as well as spectral dependence of their refractive indices. The method requires three optical channels: one for the illumination of a suspension by white light and two for the measurements of the spectra of scattered light. Parameters of the particles are determined by fitting the measured temporal spectral surfaces by the calculated Mie scattering functions. The method is applied to the particles being grown in a low-pressure reactive plasma of a discharge in an acetylene-argon mixture.     

On-line Measurement of Solids Concentration or the Mean Particle Size in a Saturated Slurry Containing Background Particles Using a Turbidity Method

An on-line double-sensor turbidimeter for estimating the solids concentration or the mean particle size in a saturated slurry system in the presence of foreign insoluble particles is proposed. The correlation representing the operation of the double-sensor turbidimeter for on-line implementation is also developed. The technique relies on measuring the transmittance of an infrared light beam through the suspension, once in the presence of soluble particles and a second time when the soluble particles have completely dissolved. The device can be easily implemented on a crystallization system for monitoring and control applications. The maximum errors for solids concentration and mean particle size measurements were 13% and 7%, respectively.     

Characterisation of nanoparticle size and state prior to nanotoxicological studies

Before commencing any nanotoxicological study, it is imperative to know the state of the nanoparticles to be used and in particular their size and size distribution in the appropriate test media is particularly important. Particles satisfying standards can be commercially purchased; however, these invariably cannot be used directly and need to be dispersed into the relevant biological media. Often such changes in the environment or ionic strength, or a change in the particle concentration, results in some aggregation or a shift in the particle size distribution. Such unexpected aggregation, dissolution or plating out, if unaccounted for, can have a significant effect on the available nanoparticle dose and on interpretation of any results obtained thereafter. Here, we demonstrate the application of characterisation instrumentation that sizes nanoparticles based on their Brownian motion in suspension. Unlike classical light-scattering techniques, the nanoparticle tracking and analysis (NTA) technique allows nanoparticles to be sized in suspension on a particle-by-particle basis allowing higher resolution and therefore better understanding of aggregation than ensemble methods (such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and differential centrifugation sedimentation (DCS)). Results will be presented from gold (standard) nanoparticles in biologically relevant media that emphasise the importance of characterisation of the nanoparticle dispersion. It will be shown how the NTA technique can be extended to multi-parameter analysis, allowing for characterization of particle size and light scattering intensity on an individual basis. This multi-parameter measurement capability allows sub-populations of nanoparticles with varying characteristics to be resolved in a complex mixture. Changes in one or more of such properties can be followed both in real time and in situ.     

Investigations on the Capability of the Statistical Extinction Method for the Determination of Mean Particle Sizes in Concentrated Particle Systems

Due to the fast growing number of processes involving particulate systems, simple and robust measurement techniques which enable an inline monitoring of the particle size and their concentration are urgently required, since this ensures control but also process optimization. In this work, an inline measurement technique based on the statistical extinction method is developed that provides a process monitoring for a wide range of particulate processes, such as dispersion processes and spray processes. The method allows the determination of the mean size and concentration for particle systems with the size larger than 1 µm. For this purpose, a light beam illuminates the particle system, whereby the fluctuating light intensity due to the particle movement through the light beam is detected. The statistical fluctuation of the signal can be related to a mean particle size and a particle concentration. Since concentrated particle systems cause effects that additionally influence the signal, such as multiple scattering, approaches are needed to reduce or eliminate these effects. In this work, an approach using a spatial frequency filter is applied. The experimental investigations reveal that the effects can be significantly reduced with the spatial frequency filter.     

Optical Particle Sizer: A New Development with Mathematical Correction of Spread Measurement Data

The development of an optical particle sizer for aerosols is described which is based on the principle of light scattering by single particles. The instrument is appropriate for simultaneous measurements of broad particle size distributions and allows applications in hot gases. The main topic concerns the evaluation of the particle size distribution from measured data, i.e. a mathematical correction for the influence of inhomogeneous illumination and of particle shape. Irregularly shaped and randomly orientated particles which also might be illuminated inhomogeneously (laser light, border zone) deliver different signal amplitudes, which finally results in a spreading of the measured particle size distribution. Assuming a specific distribution of signal amplitudes related to every particle size and shape, the spreading of the measured data can be corrected. The mathematical procedure requires the solution of a Fredholm integral equation, i.e. the inversion of a linear equation set whose coefficients are based on a correction function to be determined by a preceding calibration. A new inversion method has been developed combining the well known regularizalion according to Phillips and Twomey and the non-negative least-squares method according to Lawson and Hanson.     

Three-Dimensional Large Screen Display Using Polymer-Dispersed Liquid-Crystal Light Valves and a Schlieren Optical System: Proposal and Basic Experiments

A novel three-dimensional (3-D) projection display used with polarized eyeglasses is proposed. It consists of polymer-dispersed liquid crystal-light valves that modulate the illuminated light based on light scattering, a polarization beam splitter, and a Schlieren projection system. The features of the proposed display include a 3-D image display with a single projector, half size and half power consumption compared with a conventional 3-D projector with polarized glasses. Measured electro-optic characteristics of a polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal cell inserted between crossed polarizers suggests that the proposed display achieves small cross talk and high-extinction ratio.     

基于六硼化镧与壳聚糖的光热转换生物材料

为实现光合细菌(PSB)产氢过程的光分频利用,用六硼化镧(LaB_6)和壳聚糖制备了光热转换发光发热生物材料,研究了不同LaB_6纳米颗粒的生物材料在可见光下的吸光特性和光热转换特性。研究发现:该生物材料能较好地透过510~650 nm波长的光为PSB产氢供给光能,而其他波段的光用于激发LaB_6粒子产热为PSB提供热能。LaB_6纳米颗粒的吸光度及光热转换能力受颗粒尺寸影响显著,当生物材料中LaB_6颗粒平均水力直径为295 nm时,12 min内的温升速率为0.41℃/min,是载玻片的5.4倍。