[labnetwork] Cleanroom Particle Monitors

[Sergi Lendinez]

We have very cheap particle sensors<https://www.adafruit.com/product/4632> to monitor unusual high particle values via NEMO. They are good enough at detecting malfunctioning ACH or deteriorated filters at a fraction of the cost of other particle monitors. I wouldn't use them to know if the spaces meet certification or to know actual particle counts, but they are good to detect anomalies quickly.

Regards,
Sergi
________________________________
From: labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of Nicholas Menounos <menounos at mit.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 5:50 PM
To: Carroll, David <carroldl at wfu.edu>; Nathan Aultman <naultman at creol.ucf.edu>
Cc: Network Fab <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Cleanroom Particle Monitors


With all the positive experiences, I am starting to feel some FOMO.



At nano we have not found them to be particularly useful and a maintenance headache (we have 2 per bay, ~30 total, one is always broken). Moving them during tool installs is a chore (vac tubing/new cables runs/fussy connectors) and the vac pumps consume non-trivial energy.



We use the MET One 6015 (0.5 micron). In our Class 100/ISO5 laminar flow areas, they very rarely read above zero unless we lose space pressurization, which is already caught by our DP sensors anyway. Because the capture window against the wall and below the HEPA is quite small, they just don't pick up much, though we do occasionally get readings in the Class 10k/ISO7 spaces.



Our original Basis of Design called for particle-counter-driven ACH, but we quickly replaced that with occupancy sensors. They are highly reliable at detecting the actual source of particles (people), act proactively, and have a much wider field of view.



Nick Menounos, PE

MIT.nano - Associate Director of Infrastructure

Cell: (508) 932-0938<tel:+15089320938>



From: labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu> On Behalf Of Carroll, David
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 12:13 PM
To: Nathan Aultman <naultman at creol.ucf.edu>
Cc: Network Fab <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>
Subject: Re: [labnetwork] Cleanroom Particle Monitors



Hi Dr. Dixon,



We too use the MetOne GT system and it has been a excellent device for us.



Dave

Wake Forest University



On Tue, Mar 24, 2026 at 12:09 PM Nathan Aultman <naultman at creol.ucf.edu<mailto:naultman at creol.ucf.edu>> wrote:

Dr. Dixon,



We use a MetOne GT-321.  It is one of their older models.  https://metone.com/product-categories/controlled-environments-clean-rooms/



Nathan C. Aultman

University of Central Florida

407-823-6852

naultman at creol.ucf.edu<mailto:naultman at creol.ucf.edu>







From: labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork-bounces at mtl.mit.edu>> On Behalf Of Alex Dixon
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2026 4:22 PM
To: Network Fab <labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu<mailto:labnetwork at mtl.mit.edu>>
Subject: [labnetwork] Cleanroom Particle Monitors



Hi Everyone, I was wondering what people use for particle measurement systems in their cleanrooms? We are trying to add active particle monitoring to our cleanroom facilities. I was looking at the lasair pro from "Particle Measuring Systems" https://www.pmeasuring.com/ but university procurement is asking me to put together some other options.



-Alex



__________________________________________________________





Alex Dixon, Ph.D. (He/Him)

Lab Manager

Nanofabrication and Thin Film Deposition

Shared Instrument Facility

Colorado School of Mines



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David L. Carroll PhD.



Nano and Quantum Technologies Laboratory

Wake Forest University

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