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US 12,601,632 B2Granted
Auto-focus for spectrometers
AssigneeThermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC
InventorsAlexander Grenov, Min Yan, Mike Bradley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for automatically adjusting a sample position in a spectrometer, such as a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, are described. The sample may be automatically positioned using an auto-focusing procedure. For example, images including an aperture marker are acquired by directing light towards the sample via an aperture. The sample position may be adjusted based on features extracted from the aperture marker images.
Claims19
An imaging system, comprising:
- a sample stage for positioning a sample;
- an aperture;
- a camera;
- an objective;
- an analytical system illumination source for generating a third light;
- a detector;
- and
- a controller including a processor and a non-transitory memory, wherein by executing computer readable instructions stored in the non-transitory memory, the imaging system is configured to:
- direct a first light to the sample sequentially through the aperture and the objective;
- generate a first image including an aperture marker by collecting light from the sample via the camera;
- determine a similarity score based on the first image and an expected aperture marker image;
- adjust a distance between the objective and the sample stage based on the similarity score;
- direct the third light towards the sample without passing the aperture;
- collect light from the sample passed through the aperture via the detector, and generate a spectrum;
- and
- analyze sample composition based on the spectrum.
13 more elements
A method for positioning a sample in an imaging system, comprising:
- directing a first light to the sample sequentially through an aperture and an objective;
- generating a first image including an aperture marker by collecting light from the sample via a camera;
- determining a similarity score based on the first image and an expected aperture marker image;
- adjusting a distance between the objective and the sample based on the similarity score;
- directing a third light towards the sample via the objective without passing the aperture;
- collecting light from the sample passed through the aperture via a detector, and generate a spectrum;
- and
- analyzing sample composition based on the spectrum.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.