Size Distribution by Light Scattering from Individual Particles

The particle size distribution of a polystyrene latex has been determined using a new light-scattering photometer which measures the scattered radiance as .a function of scattering angle of single aerosolized particles as they are levitated in a laser beam. The results are in agreement with those obtained by conventional light scattering and by electron microscopy. In addition to the main population, two classes of smaller particles were observed. This single particle light-scattering technique offers the possibility of analyzing broader size distributions than heretofore amenable to light scattering and has the added advantage of not requiring any a priori assumptions about the form of the particle size distribution