Patent ID: 8448534

Claim:
An assembly for particle analysis comprising: I. an apparatus for dispersing a sample of particulate material for deposition on a sample collection surface, the apparatus including: a) a carrier having a sample-bearing surface on which to place the sample, the carrier being arranged such that the sample-bearing surface is removed from contact with the sample upon application of a sufficient pressure differential across the carrier between the sample-bearing surface and an opposite side of the carrier, wherein the apparatus includes b) a fluid-filled housing for forming a dispersion chamber, at least when closed off at a base by the sample collection surface, the housing having an inlet at least partially facing the base, c) an apparatus for passing a volume of fluid past the carrier through the inlet by subjecting the carrier to a pulsed positive pressure differential relative to the dispersion chamber, and in that the housing is already filled with fluid, and d) a system for subjecting the carrier to a pressure pulse with a pre-determined pressure profile which is independent of the geometry of the inlet and housing, and II. an apparatus for analysis of particles of the sample of particulate material deposited on the sample collection surface.