Photon-correlation spectroscopy: dependence of linewidth error on normalization, clip level, detector area, sample time and count rate

Stochastic description of the light scattered by a polydisperse colloidal suspension: simulation and experiment

In this work, the stochastic properties of the detected signal in dynamic light scattering experiments are examined in light of Doob's theorem. For Markovian observations of the Brownian particle position, we prove from this theorem that the electric field scattered by a polydisperse suspension can be accounted for by a linear combination of Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes. A new algorithm for generating the fluctuating field scattered by a polydisperse system is proposed from this alternative formalism. The statistics of our synthetic data is compared satisfactorily with that resulting from the experimental signal scattered by a binary suspension of polystyrene microspheres.

Quantitative simulation of errors in correlation analysis

Bounding the errors of measurements derived from correlation functions of light scattered from some physical systems is typically complicated by the ill conditioning of the data inversion. Parameter values are estimated from fitting well-chosen models to measurements taken for long enough to look acceptable, or at least to yield convergence to some reasonable result. We show some simple numerical simulations that indicate the possibility of substantial and unanticipated errors even in comparatively simple experiments. We further show quantitative evidence for the effectiveness of a number of ad hoc aspects of the art of performing good light-scattering experiments and recovering useful measurements from them. Separating data-inversion properties from experimental inconsistencies may lead to a better understanding and better bounding of some errors, giving new ways to improve overall experimental accuracy.

Statistical fitting accuracy in photon correlation spectroscopy

Continuing our experimental investigation of the fitting accuracy associated with photon correlation spectroscopy, we collect 150 correlograms of light scattered at 90° from a thermostated sample of 91-nm-diameter, polystyrene latex spheres in water. The correlograms are taken with two correlators: one with linearly spaced channels and one with geometrically spaced channels. Decay rates are extracted from the single-exponential correlograms with both nonlinear, least-squares fits and second-order cumulant fits. We make several statistical comparisons between the two fitting techniques and verify an earlier result that there is no sample-time dependence in the decay rate errors. We find, however, that the two fitting techniques give decay rates that differ by 1%.

Diffusion coefficient and molecular weight of type 5 adenovirus by photon-correlation spectroscopy

The technique of photon-correlation spectroscopy (intensity fluctuation spectroscopy) is applied to light scatter from type 5 adenovirus undergoing Brownian motion in solution and the translation diffusion coefficient (D20,w) measured to be 0,367 +/- 0.003 Fick units. Using Svedberg's equation with previously determined parameters, a molecular weight of 165 - 10(6) +/- 5 - 10(6) is obtained.