# US 2018/0021885 A1 · Simultaneous pattern-scan placement during sample processing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021885 A1 - Document ID: US20180021885A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/437,804 - Filed: 2017-01-10 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-01-11 - Assignees: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Ciaran O'Connor; Erik Larsen; Leif Summerfield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021885A1 ## CPC - B23K 26/032: {using optical means} - B23K 26/0622: by shaping pulses - B23K 26/082: Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head - B23K 26/0861: {in at least three axial directions} - B23K 26/0876: {in at least two axial directions} - B23K 26/123: {in an atmosphere of particular gases} - B23K 26/127: {in an enclosure} - B23K 26/361: for deburring or mechanical trimming (B23K26/351 takes precedence) - B23K 26/362: Laser etching - G01N 1/44: Sample treatment involving radiation, e.g. heat - G01N 21/718: {Laser microanalysis, i.e. with formation of sample plasma} - G01N 21/8806: {Specially adapted optical and illumination features} - G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection} - B23K 26/402: involving non-metallic material, e.g. isolators - B23K 2103/30: {Organic materials} - B23K 2103/50: {Inorganic materials other than metals or composite materials} - G02B 21/0016: {Technical microscopes, e.g. for inspection or measuring in industrial production processes} - G02B 26/105: {with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence)} - G06T 2207/10056: Microscopic image - G06T 2207/20021: Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows - G06T 2207/20104: Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI] - H01J 49/04: Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A laser ablation system, and method, facilitates the execution of user-defined scans (i.e., in which a laser beam is scanned across a sample along a beam trajectory to ablate or dissociate a portion of the sample) and enables the user define additional scans while a scan is being executed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for use with a laser ablation system having a sample chamber accommodating a sample within an interior thereof, a laser configured to generate a laser beam having parameters suitable for ablating or otherwise dissociating a portion of the sample within the sample chamber, and at least one scanning component configured to impart relative movement between the sample and the laser beam, the method comprising: processing image data, representative of obtained imagery of the sample, to generate location data, the location data associating at least one location within the obtained imagery with at least one corresponding spatial location within the interior of the sample chamber; controlling an operation of at least one selected from the group consisting of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute a first scan in a first region-of-interest of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam; and while controlling an operation of at least one of the laser and the motion stage to execute the first scan, generating and storing scan data defining a second scan to be executed in a second region-of-interest of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, prior to controlling the operation of at least one of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute the first scan, generating and storing scan data defining the first scan. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and storing scan data defining the first scan in response receiving user input obtained through a user interface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, after executing the first scan, controlling an operation of at least one of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute the second scan based on the stored scan data defining the second scan. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating and storing scan data defining the second scan in response receiving user input obtained through a user interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the imagery by capturing the imagery using an optical microscope system having a field-of-view encompassing at least a portion of a region of the interior of the sample chamber where the sample is accommodated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the field-of-view encompasses the entire region of the interior of the sample chamber where the sample is accommodated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the image data includes importing image data representative of imagery captured by an image capture system not included as part of the laser ablation system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the laser ablation system further includes an optical microscope system having a field-of-view encompassing at least a portion of a region of the interior of the sample chamber where the sample is accommodated, and wherein the location data associates at least one location within the obtained imagery with at least one corresponding spatial location within the field-of-view. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one scanning component includes controlling an operation of a motion stage configured to move the sample relative to a beam trajectory along which the laser beam can impinge upon the sample. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of the at least one scanning component includes controlling an operation of a beam steering optical component configured to move the laser beam relative to a beam trajectory along which the laser beam can impinge upon the sample. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the beam steering optical component includes at least one mirror galvanometer deflector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operation of at least one of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute the first scan in the first region-of-interest of the sample includes controlling the operation of at least one of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute a first set of scans in a first set of regions-of-interest of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating and storing scan data defining the second scan to be executed in a second region-of-interest of the sample includes generating and storing scan data defining a second set of scans to be executed in a second set of regions-of-interest of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam. ### Claim 15 A laser ablation system, comprising: a sample chamber having an interior within which a sample can be accommodated; a laser configured to generate a laser beam, wherein the laser beam has parameters suitable for ablating or otherwise dissociating a portion of the sample accommodated within the interior of the sample chamber; at least one scanning component configured to impart relative movement between the sample and the laser beam; a user interface configured to display imagery of the sample and enable a user to indicate, based on the displayed imagery, a first region-of-interest of the of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam; a processor configured to execute instructions to control an operation of at least one of the laser and the at least one scanning component to execute a first scan in the first region-of-interest of the sample and, while executing the first scan, enable a user to indicate, based on the displayed imagery, a second region-of-interest of the of the sample where the sample is to be ablated or otherwise dissociated by the laser beam; and memory communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to store the instructions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising an optical microscope system having a field-of-view within a region of the interior of the sample chamber where the sample can be accommodated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the field-of-view encompasses the region of the interior of the sample chamber where the sample can be accommodated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one scanning component includes a motion stage configured to move the sample. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one scanning component includes a beam steering optical component configured to move a beam path along which the laser beam can propagate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the beam steering optical component includes at least one mirror galvanometer deflector.