Aug. 21, 2006 – Nanosight Ltd., a Salisbury, U.K., maker of instruments for the optical detection and real time analysis of sub-micron particles, announced the launch of its Firefly LM10, a low cost nanoparticle characterization system that enables visualization of individual nanoscale particles in suspension.
The company says the system allows the user a simple and direct qualitative view of the sample under analysis from which independent quantitative estimation of particle size and size distribution can be obtained. It includes a conventional optical microscope fitted with a specialized camera and dedicated analytical software.
Specifically, it comprises a metallized optical element illuminated by laser beam, enabling both real-time sizing and counting of nanoparticles in suspension. The company says the technique requires minimal sample pre-treatment: only dilution with a suitable solvent to an acceptable concentration range.