High sensitivity, large detection area particle sensor for vacuum applications
US5266798A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 1991 |
| Grant date | Nov 30, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N15/0205
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A particle sensor which employs the principle that a particle passing through an intense laser beam will scatter light to a photodetector which then generates a measurable signal is provided. The particle sensor uses prisms and a cylindrical lens to compress the laser beam to make it very thin along the axis of particle motion but very wide in the plane perpendicular to particle motion, thereby simultaneously providing high beam intensity for enhanced sensitivity and a large detection area. The optical components of the sensor are mounted on separate sections which allows the optical components to be separately aligned and changed so that the sensor may be easily adapted to various applications.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.