A particle detector includes a housing, a light source, and a photo-responsive material. The housing includes a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and encloses a detection cavity. The light source directs irradiating light to particles of a sample fluid flowing in the detection cavity. The photo-responsive material faces the detection cavity, and receives measurement light propagating from the particles in a plurality of measurement light paths angled relative to a longitudinal axis. The particle detector may be utilized to measure scattered light and/or light emitted due to autofluorescence. Fluids sampled may include aerosols, bio-aerosols, and liquids.

Method of characterizing particles suspended in a fluid dispersant by light diffraction, comprising: obtaining measurement data from a detector element, the detector element being arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light; identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; processing the measurement data to remove or separate the measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; calculating a particle size distribution from the processed measurement. The detector element is one of a plurality of detector elements from which the measurement data is obtained. The detector elements are arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light at a plurality of scattering angles, the plurality of scattering angles distributed over a plurality of angles about an illumination axis. Identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant comprises identifying measured scattered light that is asymmetric about the illumination axis.

Method of characterizing particles suspended in a fluid dispersant by light diffraction, comprising: obtaining measurement data from a detector element, the detector element being arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light; identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; processing the measurement data to remove or separate the measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; calculating a particle size distribution from the processed measurement. The detector element is one of a plurality of detector elements from which the measurement data is obtained. The detector elements are arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light at a plurality of scattering angles, the plurality of scattering angles distributed over a plurality of angles about an illumination axis. Identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant comprises identifying measured scattered light that is asymmetric about the illumination axis.

Method of characterizing particles suspended in a fluid dispersant by light diffraction, comprising: obtaining measurement data from a detector element, the detector element being arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light; identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; processing the measurement data to remove or separate the measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; calculating a particle size distribution from the processed measurement. The detector element is one of a plurality of detector elements from which the measurement data is obtained. The detector elements are arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light at a plurality of scattering angles, the plurality of scattering angles distributed over a plurality of angles about an illumination axis. Identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant comprises identifying measured scattered light that is asymmetric about the illumination axis.

A particle detector includes a housing, a light source, and a photo-responsive material. The housing includes a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and encloses a detection cavity. The light source directs irradiating light along a longitudinal axis to particles of a sample fluid flowing in the detection cavity. The photo-responsive material surrounds at least a portion of the detection cavity, and receives measurement light propagating from the particles in a plurality of measurement light paths angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The particle detector may be utilized to measure scattered light and/or light emitted due to autofluorescence. Fluids sampled may include aerosols, bio-aerosols, and liquids.

A particle detector includes a housing, a light source, and a photo-responsive material. The housing includes a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and encloses a detection cavity. The light source directs irradiating light along a longitudinal axis to particles of a sample fluid flowing in the detection cavity. The photo-responsive material surrounds at least a portion of the detection cavity, and receives measurement light propagating from the particles in a plurality of measurement light paths angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The particle detector may be utilized to measure scattered light and/or light emitted due to autofluorescence. Fluids sampled may include aerosols, bio-aerosols, and liquids.

A particle detector includes a housing, a light source, and a photo-responsive material. The housing includes a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and encloses a detection cavity. The light source directs irradiating light to particles of a sample fluid flowing in the detection cavity. The photo-responsive material faces the detection cavity, and receives measurement light propagating from the particles in a plurality of measurement light paths angled relative to a longitudinal axis. The particle detector may be utilized to measure scattered light and/or light emitted due to autofluorescence. Fluids sampled may include aerosols, bio-aerosols, and liquids.

Method of characterizing particles suspended in a fluid dispersant by light diffraction, comprising: obtaining measurement data from a detector element, the detector element being arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light; identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; processing the measurement data to remove or separate the measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant; calculating a particle size distribution from the processed measurement. The detector element is one of a plurality of detector elements from which the measurement data is obtained. The detector elements are arranged to measure the intensity of scattered light at a plurality of scattering angles, the plurality of scattering angles distributed over a plurality of angles about an illumination axis. Identifying a measurement contribution arising from light scattered by inhomogeneities in the dispersant comprises identifying measured scattered light that is asymmetric about the illumination axis.