Optical Particle Detector Reflective Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current particle detectors struggle to accurately measure the nature, size, and concentration of micrometric or nanometric particles due to limited diffraction diagram access, leading to incomplete information and reduced precision, especially in determining the nature of particles.
Innovation Solution
A particle detector design featuring a channel with a matrix of photodetectors and multiple reflective surfaces that allow a greater number of diffused light rays to reach the photodetectors, approximating a three-dimensional diffraction to a two-dimensional measurement, while preventing photodetector blinding by incident light through strategic reflective surface arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If reflective surfaces are added to increase the number of diffused light rays reaching photodetectors, then measurement precision and information quantity improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms three-dimensional diffraction information into two-dimensional measurements by using multiple reflective surfaces to fold the optical path. The first and second pluralities of reflective surfaces arrange scattered light rays from different spatial directions onto a two-dimensional photodetector array, enabling comprehensive particle characterization without requiring a three-dimensional detector volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The detector structure is segmented into multiple functional components: a channel for particle passage, a photodetector array for signal detection, and multiple reflective surfaces (first and second pluralities) for light redirection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while contributing to the overall goal of enhanced measurement precision.
2Loss of information
If multiple reflective surfaces are used to capture more diffused light rays, then information quantity about particles increases, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective surfaces act as intermediaries between the particle channel and the photodetector array. These surfaces mediate the interaction by redirecting scattered light rays that would otherwise be lost, ensuring that maximum information about particle properties is captured and transferred to the photodetectors for analysis.
3Measurement precision
If photodetectors are positioned to receive diffused light rays, then detection sensitivity improves, but risk of photodetector blinding by incident light increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective surfaces are strategically positioned and angled to create local optical pathways that direct only scattered light rays toward the photodetectors. The geometry of the reflective surfaces ensures that incident light follows a different path than scattered light, allowing photodetectors to selectively receive information-carrying scattered light while rejecting blinding incident light.
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 design enhances the precision and quantity of information collected about particles, improving detection sensitivity and the ability to identify particle parameters such as size and nature, while maintaining a compact and cost-effective detector size.
Implementation Method 1
a first plurality of reflective surfaces, able to reflect the incident light radiation, arranged between the optical input and the channel
Implementation Method 2
at least part of the incident light radiation passing through the channel is diffused by at least one particle present in the channel thus forming diffused light rays
Implementation Method 3
a matrix of photodetectors placed opposite the channel... so that at least a part of said diffused light rays then reaches the array of photodetectors
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2i
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a particle detector comprising at least: - one channel (50) intended to receive at least one fluid containing particles (60); - one optical input (20a) configured to receive at least one incident light beam (11); characterized in that the detector furthermore comprises: - a first plurality of reflective surfaces (22), which is placed between the optical input (20a) and the channel (50); - a matrix array (41) of photodetectors (42), which is placed facing the channel (50); and a second plurality of reflective surfaces (32), which is placed between the channel (50) and the matrix array (41) of photodetectors (42) so that the channel (15) is located between the first and second pluralities of reflective surfaces (22, 32).