Speckle-Based Maximum Density Theory for Micro- and Nanoparticle Characterization via Dynamic Light Scattering

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is a widely used technique for characterizing suspended micro- and nanoparticles by analyzing their Brownian motion. Here, we introduce Maximum Density Speckle Scattering (MDSS), an alternative approach based on the analysis of dynamic speckle intensity time series. By applying maximum density theoryoriginally developed for the statistical analysis of nuclear reactions and later adapted for the study of conductance fluctuationswe analyze a time series associated with speckle patterns in DLS experiments to determine the average diameter of silica particles. From the density of maxima on the time series, it is possible to obtain the correlation time and calculate the particles' diameter. A key advantage of this method is its robustness against optical complexities, as it circumvents the need for explicit optical parameters required in conventional DLS. Using three distinct particle sizes, we demonstrate the method's efficiency and robustness in the results, even when varying the sample's concentration, showcasing its potential as a promising alternative for micro- and nanoscale material characterization. The achieved experimental accuracy rivals conventional techniques, demonstrating the potential of MDSS for measuring micro- and nanoparticle dimensions.