Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)

Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/in-in-class10th-physics/in-in-
the-human-eye-and-the-colourful-world/in-in-scattering-of-light-and-
tyndall-effect/v/scattering-of-light-tyndall-effect
The principles of dynamic light scattering
The method of dynamic light scattering (DLS) is the most common
measurement technique for particle size analysis in the nanometer range.
Theoretical background of dynamic light scattering
• When light hits small particles, the light scatters in all directions (Rayleigh
scattering) as long as the particles are small compared to the wavelength
(below 250 nm).
• This fluctuation is due to small molecules in solutions undergoing Brownian
motion, and so the distance between the scatterers in the solution is
constantly changing with time.
• This scattered light then undergoes either constructive or destructive
interference by the surrounding particles, and within this intensity
fluctuation, information is contained about the time scale of movement of
the scatterers.
Brownian motion
• Brownian motion or pedesis (from Ancient Greek: πήδησις"leaping") is
the random motion of particles suspended in a fluid (a liquid or a gas)
resulting from their collision with the fast-moving molecules in the fluid
Simulation of the Brownian motion of 5 particles Simulation of the Brownian motion of a big particle
(yellow) that collide with a large set of 800 particles. (dust particle) that collides with a large set of smaller
The yellow particles leave 5 blue trails of random particles (molecules of a gas) which move with different
motion and one of them has a red velocity vector. velocities in different random directions.
Theoretical background of dynamic light scattering
• The principle of Brownian motion: smaller particles are moving at higher speeds
than larger particles.
If you know all other parameters which have an influence on particle movement,
you can determine the hydrodynamic diameter by measuring the speed of the
particles.
• Stokes-Einstein equation relates the speed of the particles and the particle size:
𝑘𝐵 𝑇
𝐷=
6𝜋𝜂𝑅𝐻
D Translational diffusion coefficient [m²/s] – “speed of the particles”
kB Boltzmann constant [m²kg/K s²]
T Temperature [K]
η Viscosity [Pa.s]
RH Hydrodynamic radius [m]
What is the hydrodynamic radius (RH)?
By definition, the DLS measured radius is
the radius of a hypothetical hard sphere
that diffuses with the same speed as the
particle under examination. This definition
is somewhat problematic with regard to
visualization however, since hypothetical
hard spheres are non-existent. In practice,
macromolecules in solution are non-
spherical, dynamic (tumbling), and
solvated. As such, the radius calculated
from the diffusional properties of the
particle is indicative of the apparent size of
the dynamic hydrated/solvated particle.
Hence the terminology, ‘hydrodynamic’
radius.
What is the hydrodynamic radius (RH)?
Comparison of the hydrodynamic radius to other
types of radii for lysozyme.
From the crystallographic structure, lysozyme can
be described as a 26 x 45 Å ellipsoid with an axial
ratio of 1.73. The molecular weight of the protein
is 14.7 kDa, with a partial specific volume or
inverse density of 0.73 mL/g.
• The radius of gyration (Rg) is defined by the
expression given in the figure, where mi is the
mass of the ith atom in the particle and ri is the
distance from the center of mass to the ith
particle.
• RM is the equivalent radius of a sphere with the
same mass and particle specific volume
(υ = V/m = ρ-1) as lysozyme, and
• RR is the radius established by rotating the
protein about the geometric center.
The basic DLS setup
The scattered light is detected at a certain angle over time and this signal
is used to determine the diffusion coefficient and the particle size by the
Stokes-Einstein equation.
Intensity trace
• The scattered light is detected over a certain time period in order to
monitor the movement of the particles.
• The intensity of the scattered light is not constant but will fluctuate
over time.
• Smaller particles, which are moving at higher speeds, show faster
fluctuations than larger particles.
• Larger particles result in higher amplitudes between the maximum
and minimum scattering intensities
Intensity trace and correlation function
• The dynamic information of the particles is
derived from an autocorrelation of the
intensity trace recorded during the
experiment. The second order
autocorrelation curve is generated from
the intensity trace as follows:
where g2(q;τ) is the autocorrelation function at

a particular wave vector, q, and delay time, τ,
and I is the intensity.
Autocorrelation, is the correlation of a signal with a delayed copy
of itself as a function of delay. Informally, it is the similarity
between observations as a function of the time lag between them.
The analysis of autocorrelation is a mathematical tool for finding
repeating patterns, such as the presence of a periodic signal
obscured by noise, or identifying the missing fundamental
frequency in a signal implied by its harmonic frequencies.
In fact, the correlation function is a mathematical description of the
fluctuations of the scattered light. It is used to determine the
translational diffusion coefficient. To do this, the intensity of the
scattered light at a time t is compared with the intensity of the same
intensity trace shifted by the delay time τ.
In general, the correlation function
describes how long a particle is located at
the same spot within the sample.
At the beginning the correlation function is
linear and almost constant, indicating that
the particle is still at the same position as it
was the moment before.
Later, you can see an exponential decay of
the correlation function, which means that
the particle is moving. If there is no
similarity to the initial spot, the correlation
function shows a linear behavior again. This
part of the correlation function is known as
the baseline.
The information of the size-dependent
movement is included in the decay of the
correlation function. The decay represents
an indirect measure of the time that the
particles need to change their relative
positions. Small particles move quickly so
the decay is fast. Larger particles move
more slowly and therefore the decay of
the correlation function is delayed.
Measurement results
Τhe particle size of the sample is
not measured directly but is based
on the movement of the particles.
The term hydrodynamic diameter
refers to the particle size of
smooth, spherical particles which
diffuse at the same speed as the
particles of the sample.
The polydispersity index (PDI) is
given in order to describe the
broadness of the particle size
distribution. The polydispersity
index is also calculated by the
cumulant method. A value below
10 % reflects a monodisperse
sample and indicates that all of
the measured particles have
almost the same size.
Summary and conclusion
• Dynamic light scattering is a well-established,

standardized technique for particle size analysis
in the nanometer range and has been used for
about 40 years.
• DLS provides information on the mean particle
size as well as on particle size distribution.
• It covers a broad size range from the lower
nanometer range up to several micrometers.
• Only low sample volumes are required and the
sample can be re-used after the measurement.

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Dynamic light scattering (DLS)

where g2(q;τ) is the autocorrelation function at

• Dynamic light scattering is a well-established,

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