Particle Measuring Systems, Inc.

Brian A Knollenberg

Daniel Rodier

James M Lumpkin

Dwight A Sehler

Brett Haley

Edward Yates

Ronald W Adkins

Scott MacLaughlin

Mark A Lilly

Dan Rodier

Mehran Vahdani Moghaddam

Jim Lumpkin

Matt Soappman

Cary Hertert

Gerald Gromala

Gilberto Dalmaso

Cliff Ketcham

Matt Michaelis

John R Mitchell

Scott Waisanen

Rebecca Jones Thompson

Joseph Thomas Cilke

Bryan Bast

Glenn W Brandon

Jonathan Skuba

Chris Bonino

Timothy A Ellis

Stephen Pavone

Thomas Ramin

Clayton Ellinwood

Isidro Sanchez

Benjamin Martinez

Dwight Sehler

Mark Lilly

A method for reducing false-positive particle detection events of an optical particle detection system includes: filtering raw particle count data to produce filtered particle count data. The filtering includes: temporarily storing the raw particle count data for a buffering time period; segmenting the raw particle count data into a series of elemental data intervals; examining each elemental data interval for a noise signature; identifying a noise signature in the segmented raw particle count data; in response to the identified noise signature, flagging one or more sequential elemental data intervals as corresponding to a noise event; and removing the one or more flagged elemental data intervals from the raw particle count data to produce the filtered particle count data, and/or generating replacement data and substituting the replacement data for the one or more flagged elemental data intervals to produce the filtered particle count data.

Systems and methods for reducing false positive particle detection events in a particle detector

A manifold system and methods of collecting samples, where the manifold system comprises multiple input sample ports and a preferably rotatable flow focusing element. The manifold system is able to sample aerosols and gases from multiple sample points, such as from cleanrooms and manufacturing environments, for collection and analysis. The flow focusing element reduces cross talk and cross contamination of particles, including nanoparticles, between different samples.

Compact intelligent aerosol and fluid manifold

Modular docking station and methods for sampling and monitoring gas and other fluids, where a sampling device is able to be removably attached to the docking station, thereby allowing the sampling device to be replaced without having to remove or disconnect the docking station from the rest of the sampling system. This allows the docking station to remain connected to the rest of the system with minimal or no interruption and reduces maintenance costs and time when replacing the sampling device.

Modular particle counter with docking station

A particle detection system may include a light source, a first beam splitter, a particle interrogation zone, a reflecting surface, a second beam splitter, a first photodetector, and a second photodetector. The first beam splitter may be configured to split the source beam into an interrogation beam and a reference beam. The particle interrogation zone may be disposed in the path of the interrogation beam. The reflecting surface may be configured to reflect the interrogation beam back on itself. The second beam splitter may be configured to: (i) receive the reference beam and side scattered light from one or more particles interacting with the interrogation beam in the particle interrogation zone; and (ii) produce a first component beam and second component beam. The first photodetector may be configured to detect the first component beam. The second photodetector may be configured to detect the second component beam.

Enhanced dual-pass and multi-pass particle detection

Disclosed is a method for detecting and/or growing particles, comprising controlling the surface area exposed to the saturator region by monitoring at least one of a depth of the working liquid on the saturator surface, the surface area exposed to the saturator region, or a volume of the working liquid on the saturator surface. Also disclosed is an apparatus or system for detecting and/or growing particles, comprising a fluidics system configured to control the surface area exposed to the saturator region by monitoring at least one of a depth of the working liquid on the saturator surface, the surface area exposed to the saturator region, or a volume of the working liquid on the saturator surface. Certain aspects do not employ one or more porous structures for vapor generation, nor a separate carrier fluid flow or inlet comprising a carrier fluid and vaporized working liquid for combining with the sample flow in the saturator region.

Condensation particle counters and methods of use

The present invention relates to interferometric detection of particles and optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm. Systems and methods are provided exhibiting enhanced alignment and stability for interferometric detection of particles and/or optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm. Systems and methods are provided that include compensation means for mitigating the impact of internal and external stimuli and changes in operating conditions that can degrade the sensitivity and reliability of particle detection via optical methods, including interferometric-based techniques and/or systems for optical detection of particles having size dimensions less than or equal to 100 nm.

Advanced systems and methods for interferometric particle detection and detection of particles having small size dimensions

Provided herein are optical systems and methods for detecting and characterizing particles. Systems and method are provided which increase the sensitivity of an optical particle counter and allow for detection of smaller particles while analyzing a larger fluid volume. The described systems and methods allow for sensitive and accurate detection and size characterization of nanoscale particles (e.g., less than 50 nm, optionally less than 20 nm, optionally less than 10 nm) for large volumes of analyzed fluids.

Particle detection systems and methods for on-axis particle detection and/or differential detection

Provided herein is a particle analyzer that is operably connected to a probe unit that is capable of both dislodging particles from a surface and sampling the particles after they have been dislodged. The devices and methods described herein may be lightweight and/or handheld, for example, so that they may be used within a cleanroom environment to clean and sample permanent surfaces and tools. The devices may include optical particle counters that use scattered, obscured or emitted light to detect particles, including condensation particle counting systems or split detection optical particle counters to increase the sensitivity of the device and thereby facilitate detection of smaller particles, while avoiding the increased complexity typically required for the detection of nanoscale particles, such as particles less than 100 nm in effective diameter.

Detecting nanoparticles on production equipment and surfaces

Provided herein are particle detection systems, and related methods configured to characterize a liquid sample, comprising: a first probe configured to determine a first parameter set of a plurality of first particles in a liquid sample, the first particles characterized by a size characteristic selected from a first size range; wherein the first parameter set comprises a first size distribution and a first concentration; and a second probe configured to determine a second parameter set of one or more second particles in the liquid sample, the second particles being characterized by a size characteristic selected from a second size range; wherein the second parameter set comprises a second size distribution and a second concentration.

Slurry monitor coupling bulk size distribution and single particle detection

Provided herein are systems and methods of optical particle counters which account and adjust for the refractive index of the carrier fluid being analyzed. The provided systems are robust and may be implemented in a variety of optical particle counters including obscured light, reflected light, emitted light and scattered light particle counters. The described systems may be useful with any fluid, including gases or liquids. In some cases, the system can account for the differences in refractive index between two liquids, for example, ultrapure water and an acid, such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, acetic, phosphoric, chromic phosphoric, and the like. By accounting for the refractive index of the carrier fluid, the described systems and methods are also more sensitive and able to more accurately detect and characterize smaller particles, including nanoscale sized particles.

Fluid refractive index optimizing particle counter

Described herein are monitoring systems and methods, including for airborne molecular contamination (AMC), that combine a sampler, such as an impinger or sorbent tube with a real time analyzer, such as an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) or optical particle counter. The system may allow for selective sampling in which the sampler is only exposed to the target fluid during periods in which the real time analyzer detects analytes, such as molecular contamination or particles, meeting particular criteria such the composition and/or concentration of analytes. The invention also includes impinger systems having a sampler reservoir comprising an anion leaching resistant material characterized by low anion leach rates in the presence of deionized water.

Triggered sampling systems and methods

The invention generally provides devices and methods for particle detection for minimizing human-caused contamination in manufacturing environments requiring low levels of microbes, such as cleanroom environments for electronics manufacturing and aseptic environments for manufacturing pharmaceutical and biological products, such as sterile medicinal products. Methods of the invention may incorporate wirelessly transmitting an alarm signal from a particle detector to a remote device, replicating a graphical user interface of the particle detector on an electronic display of the remote device, and passing one or more user instructions from the remote device to the particle detector via the replicate graphical interface of the remote device.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Brian A Knollenberg