Particle collection apparatus and associated methods
AssigneeNanoGram Corporation
InventorsJames T. Gardner, Samuel R. Phillips, Xiangxin Bi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particle collection apparatus has a chamber, one or more filters and a back pressure system. The filters are located in the flow path through the system to collect the particles from an input gas stream. The back pressure system applies a pulse of gas against the flow through the system to dislodge particles collected on the filters. The dislodged particles fall to a particle drain where they are removed from the system. The particle collection apparatus can be connected to a particle synthesis apparatus. The particle collection apparatus and the particle synthesis apparatus can operated at reduced pressures.
Claims17
A particle production system comprising:
- a particle synthesis apparatus comprising:
- a reaction chamber isolated from the ambient atmosphere, the reaction chamber comprising gas and the reaction chamber having a reactant inlet for supplying reactant into the reaction chamber and a product outlet from which the product particles exit the reaction chamber, wherein the gas in the reaction chamber is at a pressure less than about 700 Torr;
- and
- a particle collection apparatus comprising:
- a collection chamber having a collector inlet, a gas outlet, and a particle drain, wherein the gas outlet is connected to a pump that vents to the atmosphere;
- a plurality of filters within the collection chamber such that the filters obstructs flow paths from the collector inlet to the gas outlet and such that particles dislodged from the filters flow to the particle drain;
- and
- a particle removal system that applies forces to the filters to dislodge particles from the filters;
- wherein the product outlet of the particle synthesis apparatus is in fluid communication with the collector inlet of the particle collection apparatus.
A particle collection apparatus for the collection of particles, the apparatus comprising:
- a chamber having an inlet, a gas outlet, gas within the chamber and a particle drain, wherein the gas within the chamber is at a pressure less than about 700 Torr and wherein the gas outlet is connected to a pump that vents to the atmosphere;
- a first filter within the chamber such that the first filter obstructs flow paths from the inlet to the gas outlet and such that particles dislodged from the first filter flow to the particle drain;
- a particle removal system that applies forces to the first filter to dislodge particles from the first filter;
- a drain valve at the bottom of the chamber;
- a storage container that releasably secures to the drain valve to form a seal;
- and
- particles within the storage container, the collection of particles having an average primary particle size less than about 1000 nm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.