Surface Tension Droplet Trapping for Dynamic Light Scattering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements require high-quality optical surfaces, which are expensive and consume large sample volumes, and are difficult to clean, especially for samples like proteins, and do not efficiently handle small sample volumes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that uses a sample droplet trapped by surface tension between two optical surfaces, allowing for intersection of incident and detected light beams within the droplet, with the option to use capillary tubes for semi-disposable measurements, enabling efficient use of small sample volumes and easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-quality optical surfaces (glass cuvettes) are used for DLS measurements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but sample volume consumption increases and cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sample containment function into two parts: a disposable plastic cuvette for holding the sample and a reusable optical surface for measurement. This segmentation allows the optical surface to be small and easy to clean, while the disposable cuvette handles the sample volume requirement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces disposable plastic cuvettes that are used once and then discarded. These cheap, single-use containers eliminate the need to clean expensive glass cuvettes and reduce sample volume requirements, as each disposable unit is optimized for minimal sample consumption
2Measurement precision
If high-quality optical surfaces (glass cuvettes) are used for DLS measurements, then measurement accuracy is improved, but cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, difficult-to-clean glass cuvettes with disposable plastic cuvettes. The plastic cuvettes are designed to be discarded after single use, eliminating the time-consuming cleaning process entirely while maintaining measurement accuracy through the optical interface design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the optical measurement function from the sample containment function. The optical surface is separated from the bulk cuvette, allowing the optical interface to be optimized for ease of cleaning or disposal while the main containment structure handles sample storage
3Measurement precision
If traditional cuvettes are used for DLS measurements, then measurement accuracy is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a measurement system where a single optical interface can accommodate both disposable plastic cuvettes and traditional glass cuvettes. This universal design allows the apparatus to perform the same measurement function with different container types, reducing overall system complexity by avoiding the need for separate measurement systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces costs by using small sample volumes and allows for easy cleaning and disposal of optical surfaces, while maintaining high accuracy in particle size measurement, meeting ISO standards for DLS measurements.
Implementation Method 1
supporting the liquid sample droplet by surface tension
Implementation Method 2
illuminating the supported liquid sample droplet along an illumination axis with a spatially coherent light beam so as to cause the coherent light to be scattered across a scattering zone
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A method of measuring characteristics of particles in a liquid sample (10), comprises supporting the liquid sample by surface tension,illuminating the supported liquid sample along an illumination axis (16) with spatially coherent light so as to cause the coherent light to be scattered across a scattering zone, and detecting at least a portion of the scattered light along a first predetermined scattering detection axis (18) after it is scattered by the particles in the supported liquid sample, wherein the illumination axis (10) and the detection axis (18) are oriented at an angle with respect to each other that allows substantially all of the light scattered at that angle across the scattering zone to be detected.