Patent · US Expired

Laser diode-excited biological particle detection system

US6831279B2 · kind B2 · utility

54Cited by
5References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 27, 2001
Grant dateDec 14, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/6486
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for detection of viable and potentially hazardous biological particles in a population which may be dispersed in fluid flow. The particles are characterized as biological and viable by contacting particles with laser light from a laser diode and then looking for the emission of fluorescence which is typically emitted from bacteria or bacterial spore. Biomolecules which are representative of viability are now known to be excited in range of 320 nm and longer. The resulting apparatus is economical, compact and has low-power requirements enabling portable operation. Preferably, the laser diode is combined with an aerodynamic particle sizer to separate particles for sequential contacts, or with additional timing lasers for establishing particle size.

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