Analytical Sciences


Abstract − Analytical Sciences, 24(4), 459 (2008).

Development of Heterodyne Detection of Dynamic Light Scattering Enhanced by the Talbot Effect for the Size Measurement of Nanoparticles
Hiroko NOMURA and Kenji KATAYAMA
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Chuo University, 1-13-27 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo 112-8551, Japan
A new type of dynamic light scattering method for the size measurement of nanoparticles was developed using a transmission grating. A sample cell was located behind the grating, and light was incident from the grating side. The scattered light by a solution with nanopariticles was mixed with diffracted light by the grating, and the mixed signal was detected; namely, the diffracted light was used as reference light for heterodyne detection. It was confirmed that the S/N ratio of the autocorrelation curve was 26-times improved by heterodyne detection. Furthermore, the S/N ratio was improved by setting the sample cell at the sample grating distance where the electromagnetic field is maximum due to the Talbot effect. Size measurements for several kinds of nanoparticles were demonstrated by this new method.