# US 2014/0152978 A1 · Optical Detection and Analysis of Particles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152978 A1 - Document ID: US20140152978A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/235,988 - Filed: 2012-08-06 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-05 - Assignees: NanoSight Limited - Inventors: Robert Jeffrey Geddes Carr; John Patrick Hole; Jonathan Benjamin Kendall Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152978A1 ## CPC - G01N 15/14: Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry - G01N 15/0211: {Investigating a scatter or diffraction pattern} - G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream} - G01N 2015/0038: {Investigating nanoparticles} - G01N 2015/0222: {from dynamic light scattering, e.g. photon correlation spectroscopy} - G01N 2015/0238: {Single particle scatter} - G01N 2015/025: {Methods for single or grouped particles} - G01N 2015/0277: {Average size only} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The present invention provides a method of analysing a sample comprising sub-micron particles, comprising determining first information about the size of particles and number of particles in the sample by nanoparticle tracking analysis; determining second information about average particle size of particles in the sample by dynamic light scattering; determining from the first information third information representing the theoretical effect of the detected particles on results obtainable by dynamic light scattering; and adjusting the second information using the third information to produce fourth information representing adjusted information on average particle size. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of analysing a sample comprising sub-micron particles, comprising determining first information about the size of particles and number of particles in the sample by nanoparticle tracking analysis; determining second information about average particle size of particles in the sample by dynamic light scattering; determining from the first information third information representing the theoretical effect of the detected particles on results obtainable by dynamic light scattering; and adjusting the second information using the third information to produce fourth information representing adjusted information on average particle size. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second information are obtained simultaneously from the same sample. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises a suspension or other dispersion of solid particles in liquid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample is illuminated by a suitably focussed beam of radiation, typically a laser beam. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information further includes information on particle brightness/spectral characteristics. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second information also further includes information on particle size distribution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information and the second information are obtained using respective detector systems. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information is used to generate a theoretical correlation curve or function for one or more of the detected particle sizes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the correlation function is size-weighted, with larger particles being given greater weighting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein correlation functions for different particle sizes are summed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information includes information on the relative amount of light scattered by each detected particle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises proteins. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sample comprises particles which are fluorescent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second information is obtained whilst the particles are subjected to a user-applied external electric and/or magnetic field. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An apparatus adapted and configured for performing the method of claim 1, the apparatus comprising: a light source means for producing a suitably focussed beam of radiation to illuminate the sample; a first detector system for obtaining the first information using NTA; a second detector system for obtaining the second information using dynamic light scattering; and data processing means programmed to determine the third information from the first information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the data processing means is further programmed to adjust the second information, using the third information, to produce fourth information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second detector systems are spatially common and temporally common. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second detector systems are spatially common but temporally different. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second detector systems are spatially different but temporally common. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein there are one or more components which are common to the first and second detector systems. ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (canceled)