Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), or more generally Particle Tracking Analysis (PTA), is a particle characterization technique that was commercialized and gained a significant market over the past fifteen years. The unique abilities of a single particle analysis technique provide a high-resolution particle size distribution as well as number-based particle concentration, either in scatter mode (all particles) or in fluorescence mode (allows for speciation).

The basics of the technique are laid out in standards from international standards organizations:

Hyperion Analytical was born from frustration with earlier NTA instrument designs and performance. Well-proven science could be applied to improve the instrument itself, the performance, and therefore the user experience and data quality.

The foundation of an NTA instrument is in shaping a plane of light that illuminates particles in the focal plane of the microscope to make them visible for analysis without illuminating out-of-focus particles, which then contribute to background optical noise. This is simply optimizing the signal to noise ratio. While previous iterations have compromises in design or inherited drawbacks, the Envision 3 was designed from a clean sheet with a clear idea of the optimum optical configuration needed to give a well-defined light sheet.

Besides the clean image, the precise control over the light sheet dimensions also mean we know the measurement volume for our analysis. This translates into a precise and valid concentration result, rather than needing some arbitrary calibration value. This dimensional control is controlled and repeatable, meaning instrument to instrument reproducibility will be much easier than having to calibrate a range of variables to correct after the fact.

Our beam shaping method yields a clean, crisp image without the extraneous scattered light from other approaches. Furthermore, it means all of the laser power is focused where it is needed, in the measurement volume. No incident light is scattered across a wide plane, trapped in the cell walls to heat the sample, or bleaching fluorophores before they get to the measurement zone.

As with all electronics, many of the components of the NTA system have evolved over time. By selecting the latest and greatest components with this particular application in mind, the highest possible performance can be ensured. Additionally, the built-in quality means we can offer a three year warranty on the laser modules and two years warranty on all other parts.

Sensitivity has been further enhanced by software developments to remove optical noise from our video images and in our advanced tracking software which has been developed to follow even faint or intermittent tracks.

Dynamic range has been improved with subtle but important optical design. Along with more capable camera, the optics will favor the dimmer scattering small particles while moderating the response from the overly-bright large particles, so can measure a wider range of sizes simultaneously.

Particle tracking software is used in many applications. Our implementation benefits from a clearer image than most other PTA analyzers, in addition to the years of development of software. Samples can be measured either in a static mode or under constant flow depending on the needs of the sample and analysis.