Photon correlation spectroscopy scattered light intensity

The literature [61,63-82] r rs to QELS by many differoit names, some of which are spediic methods of implemratation. The.se include dynamic light scattering, laser scattering, laser Doppler velocimeby, intensity fluctuation spectroscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), light beating spectroscopy and homo- and heterodyne spectroscopy. Most of the techniques discussed here are based on PCS. 

In photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), light from a low-power helium-neon laser is focused on a temperature-controlled sample cell and light scattered at a known angle to the cell is detected by a photomultiplier. The random motion of particles in the laser beam causes fluctuations in the intensity of the scattered radiation that can be analyzed with a digital correlator. The smaller the particle the more rapid the fluctuations due to more rapid motion. The time dependence of the fluctuations is used to generate a correlation function, which is the sum of fluctuations caused by all particles. Autocorrelation theory can then be used to determine the diffusion coefficient, D, for the particles and hence the particle s hydrodynamic diameter, S, from the Stokes-Einstein equation ... 

The scattering techniques, dynamic light scattering or photon correlation spectroscopy involve measurement of the fluctuations in light intensity due to density fluctuations in the sample, in this case from the capillary wave motion. The light scattered from thermal capillary waves contains two observables. The Doppler-shifted peak propagates at a rate such that its frequency follows Eq. IV-28 and... 

Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) has been used extensively for the sizing of submicrometer particles and is now the accepted technique in most sizing determinations. PCS is based on the Brownian motion that colloidal particles undergo, where they are in constant, random motion due to the bombardment of solvent (or gas) molecules surrounding them. The time dependence of the fluctuations in intensity of scattered light from particles undergoing Brownian motion is a function of the size of the particles. Smaller particles move more rapidly than larger ones and the amount of movement is defined by the diffusion coefficient or translational diffusion coefficient, which can be related to size by the Stokes-Einstein equation, as described by... 

In dynamic light scattering (DLS), or photon correlation spectroscopy, temporal fluctuations of the intensity of scattered light are measured and this is related to the dynamics of the solution. In dilute micellar solutions, DLS provides the z-average of the translational diffusion coefficient. The hydrodynamic radius, Rh, of the scattering particles can then be obtained from the Stokes-Einstein equation (eqn 1.2).The intensity fraction as a function of apparent hydrodynamic radius is shown for a triblock solution in Fig. 3.4. The peak with the smaller value of apparent hydrodynamic radius, RH.aPP corresponds to molecules and that at large / Hs,Pp to micelles. 

The random Brownian motion of colloidal particles creates temporal fluctuations in the intensity of the scattered light. The fluctuating intensity signal cannot be readily interpreted because it contains too much detail. Instead, the fluctuations are commonly quantified by constructing an intensity autocorrelation function (ACF) [41J. For this reason, DLS often goes by the name photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). 

Quasi-elastic laser light scattering (also called intensity fluctuation spectroscopy, light-beating spectroscopy or photon correlation spectroscopy) is an accurate method to measure the translational diffusion coefficients of macromolecules. The diffusion coefficient is a parameter, that depends on the size and shape of the macromolecules and on the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic interaction between the macromolecules. 

To measure the droplet size distribution of the primary emulsion (W/O in W/O/W or O/W in O/W/O) that has a micron range (with an average radius of 0.5-1.0 pm), a dynamic light-scattering technique (also referred to as photon correlation spectroscopy PCS) can be apphed. Details of this method are described in Chapter 19. Basically, the intensity fluctuation of scattered light by the droplets as they undergo Brownian diffusion is measured from this, the diffusion coefficient of the droplets can be determined, and in turn the radius can be obtained by using the Stokes-Einstein equation. 

When assessing a nanoemulsion formation, the normal approach is to measure the droplet size distribution using dynamic light scattering techniques, including photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). In this technique, the intensity fluctuation of light scattered by the droplets is measured as they undergo Brownian motion... 

DLS is a method that measures the time-dependent fluctuation of scattered intensity, and is also referred to as quasi-elastic light scattering or photon correlation spectroscopy. The latter term is the most commonly used for describing the process, since most dynamic scattering techniques employ autocorrelation. 

Figure 2.5 Relaxation rates F of the intensity correlation functions as a function of q2 obtained via a photon correlation spectroscopy experiment. The sample was a w/o-droplet microemulsion made of D2 0/n-octane-di8/CioE4. On the oil-continuous side of the phase diagram the scattered light intensity is usually low leading to rather large errors of the individual data points. Nevertheless, from the slope of the linear fit the translational diffusion coefficient is obtained. (Figure redrawn with data from Ref. [67].)...

Photon correlation spectroscopy has several important features, most notably the duration of the experiment is short, and it is readily automated so that reliable measurements can be made even by inexperienced operators. The method has modest development costs. Commercial particle sizing systems mostly operate at only one angle (90°) and use red light (wavelength, 675 nm). Usually in these systems the dependence of light-scattering intensity on concentration is neglected. 

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