Patent · US Expired

Compact particle flux monitor

US4804853A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 1987
Grant dateFeb 14, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/4707
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A compact particle flux monitor is formed with an enclosure through which a laser beam is directed by a lens. An aperture in the enclosure allows free particles which are to be detected to pass through a sensing area at a limiting acceptance angle thereby providing an indication of direction of particle flow. Photodiodes mounted at the sensing area detect the particles, including relatively small particles, by means of the high intensity beam portion at the region of the focal point of the light beam. The response region along the diverging beam is relatively long so that the response as a function of particle size is above background noise level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.