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公开(公告)号:EP1725406A1
公开(公告)日:2006-11-29
申请号:EP05714642.5
申请日:2005-03-16
摘要: Methods and apparatus are provided for controlling the charge on a stream of fluid droplets by minimizing the phase difference between a calibration signal and its detected signature signal. Such control can be accomplished by adjusting a droplet charging means, a droplet generation means, and/or the signals on either. Droplets are generated by a stimulation signal on a droplet generation means and signal-wise charged by a charging signal on a droplet charging means. The calibration signal, which does not appreciably affect the trajectory the droplets, is also imposed onto the stream of droplets. The phase of the calibration signal is independent of the charging signal. A charge detection means and a suitable filter extract a signature signal from the charged droplets. The phase difference between the signature signal and the calibration signal is then minimized.