Laser sensor for ultra-fine particle size detection

Abstract

The invention describes a laser sensor module () for detecting ultra-fine particles () with a particle size of 300 nm or less, more preferably 200 nm or less, most preferably 100 nm or less, the laser sensor module () comprising: —at least one laser () being adapted to emit laser light to at least one focus region in reaction to signals provided by at least one electrical driver (), —at least one detector () being adapted to determine a self-mixing interference signal of an optical wave within a laser cavity of the at least one laser (), wherein the self-mixing interference signal is caused by reflected laser light reentering the laser cavity, the reflected laser light being reflected by a particle receiving at least a part of the laser light, —the laser sensor module () being arranged to perform at least one self-mixing interference measurement, —the laser sensor module () being adapted to determine a first particle size distribution function with a first sensitivity by means of at least one measurement result determined based on the at least one self-mixing interference measurement, the laser sensor module being further adapted to determine a second particle size distribution function with the second sensitivity, the second sensitivity being different from the first sensitivity, —the at least one evaluator () being adapted to determine a particle measure of the particle size of 300 nm or less by subtracting the second particle size distribution function multiplied with a calibration factor q from the first particle size distribution function. The invention further describes a corresponding method and computer program product. The invention enables a simple and low-cost particle detection module or particle detector based on laser self-mixing interference which can detect particles with a size of 100 nm or even less.