Disclosed herein is a method of characterizing particles in a sample. The method comprises illuminating the sample in a sample cell with a light beam, so as to produce scattered light by the interaction of the light beam with the sample; obtaining a time series of measurements of the scattered light from a single detector; determining, from the time series of measurements from the single detector, which measurements were taken at times when a large particle was contributing to the scattered light; determining a particle size distribution, including correcting for light scattered by the large particle.

A method of determining particle size distribution from multi-angle dynamic light scattering data, comprising: obtaining a series of measured correlation functions g(θ.sub.i) at scattering angles θ.sub.i; and solving an equation comprising $\left[\begin{array}{c}g\left({\theta }_1\right)\\ \mathrm{.Math.}\\ g\left({\theta }_n\right)\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{c}{\alpha }_{1}K\left({\theta }_1\right)\\ \mathrm{.Math.}\\ {\alpha }_{n}K\left({\theta }_n\right)\end{array}\right]x,$
wherein: K(θ.sub.i) is the instrument scattering matrix computed for angle i, x is the particle size distribu

A particle size distribution measuring device includes an actual spectrum obtaining unit obtaining an actual spectrum which is a light intensity spectrum; a non-target spectrum calculating unit that receives non-target particle size distribution data indicating a particle size distribution of a non-target particle group which is not a measurement target and which is accommodated in the cell and that calculates, on the basis of the non-target particle size distribution data, a non-target spectrum which is a light intensity spectrum to be obtained by irradiating the non-target particle group with light; a non-target spectrum removing unit that calculates a target spectrum which is a light intensity spectrum obtained by subtracting an influence of the non-target spectrum from the actual spectrum; and a target particle size distribution calculating unit that calculates the particle size distribution of the particle group which is the measurement target on the basis of the target spectrum.

Systems and methods for holographic characterization of protein aggregates. Size and refractive index of individual aggregates in a solution can be determined. Information regarding morphology and porosity can be extracted from holographic data.

A method for determining a degree of impurity of water comprises performing (200) of a dynamic light scattering analysis of a multitude of samples of a water to be tested. Each sample of said multitude of samples comprises added single-size polymer beads of a respective size and in a respective known amount. A smallest size of the single-size polymer beads giving rise to a detectable signal, discernible over a background noise level, in a size distribution curve of the dynamic light scattering analysis is determined (220). A smallest amount of the single-size polymer of the determined smallest size giving rise to a detectable signal is determined (230). A degree of impurity of the water to be tested is assigned (240) in dependence of the determined smallest size and the determined smallest amount of the single-size polymer.

Techniques herein include an apparatus and method for measuring and monitoring properties of fluids consumed in a semiconductor fabrication process. The apparatus includes a flow cell having a hollow chamber, a first chamber sidewall of the hollow chamber bisecting the length of the flow cell, the first chamber sidewall having a predetermined angle to the incoming direction of light from the first light source; a refractive index sensor configured to detect the light from the first light source transmitted through the hollow chamber of the flow cell and exiting the flow cell through the second flow cell sidewall of the at least six flow cell sidewalls; and a first light sensor configured to detect the light from the first light source scattered off the fluid in the hollow chamber.

An apparatus for particle characterisation, comprising: a sample cell for holding a sample; a light source configured to illuminate the sample with an illuminating beam and a plurality of light detectors, each light detector configured to receive scattered light resulting from the interaction between the illuminating beam and the sample along a respective detector path, wherein each respective detector path is at substantially the same angle to the illuminating beam.

An apparatus for particulate matter (PM) measurement includes a first light source to generate a first light beam and a second light source disposed at a first distance from the first light source to generate a second light beam in parallel to the first light beam to illuminate a PM. The apparatus further includes a first light detector to measure a first timing corresponding to a first self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the first light beam from a PM, and a second light detector to measure a second timing corresponding to a second self-mixing signal resulting from a reflection and/or back-scattering of the second light beam from the PM. A processor can determine a first velocity of the PM based on a spatial separation between centers of the first light beam and the second light beam and a temporal separation between the first timing and the second timing.

Techniques herein include an apparatus and method for measuring and monitoring properties of fluids consumed in a semiconductor fabrication process. The apparatus includes a flow cell having a hollow chamber, a first chamber sidewall of the hollow chamber bisecting the length of the flow cell, the first chamber sidewall having a predetermined angle to the incoming direction of light from the first light source; a refractive index sensor configured to detect the light from the first light source transmitted through the hollow chamber of the flow cell and exiting the flow cell through the second flow cell sidewall of the at least six flow cell sidewalls; and a first light sensor configured to detect the light from the first light source scattered off the fluid in the hollow chamber.

The invention provides a method of inspecting a lubricating oil composition and a method of producing a lubricating oil composition. The inspecting method is capable of stably reproducing wear resistance characteristics by using a relatively easy measuring method even in the case where the lubricating oil composition contains a fullerene. In the method of inspecting the lubricating oil composition, the particle size (r) of particles present in the lubricating oil composition containing a base oil and fullerene is measured, and the lubricating oil composition is sorted on the basis of a predetermined range of the particle size (r) set by the relationship between the measured value of the particle size (r) and the measured value of the wear coefficient of the lubricating oil composition.