Dynamic light scattering

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is a technique in physics that can be used to determine the size distribution profile of small particles in suspension or polymers in solution.^[1] In the scope of DLS, temporal fluctuations are usually analyzed using the intensity or photon autocorrelation function (also known as photon correlation spectroscopy – PCS or quasi-elastic light scattering – QELS). In the time domain analysis, the autocorrelation function (ACF) usually decays starting from zero delay time, and faster dynamics due to smaller particles lead to faster decorrelation of scattered intensity trace. It has been shown that the intensity ACF is the Fourier transform of the power spectrum, and therefore the DLS measurements can be equally well performed in the spectral domain.^[2][3] DLS can also be used to probe the behavior of complex fluids such as concentrated polymer solutions.