Patent ID: 6259101
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
An apparatus for detecting, sizing or otherwise analyzing particles comprising:(a) a beam of particles, wherein said particles have diameters in the range of from about 10 .mu.m to 10 nm,(b) a detector;(c) a radiation source which transmits a beam of radiation into a source region so that said beam of radiation and said beam of particles are collinear in said source region and said beam of radiation contacts said beam of particles in said source region, wherein said beam of radiation has an intensity which is sufficient to heat at least one particle from said beam of particles to a temperature which is sufficient to vaporize and ionize said at least one particle in the source region, further wherein ions from a particle that has been vaporized and ionized by the radiation beam in said source region are accelerated towards said detector so that at least a portion of said ions will contact said detector.