# US 9,435,742 B2 · Automated plasma cleaning system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,742 B2 - Document ID: US9435742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/746,102 - Filed: 2013-01-21 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-21 - Assignees: SciAps, Inc. - Applicants: SciAps, Inc. - Inventors: David Day - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435742B2 ## CPC - G01N 21/718: {Laser microanalysis, i.e. with formation of sample plasma} - G01J 3/443: Emission spectrometry - H01J 37/32853: {Hygiene} - H01J 37/32972: {Spectral analysis} - G01J 3/0272: {Handheld} - G01J 3/2823: {Imaging spectrometer} - G01N 2201/0221: Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held - 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) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract An analysis (e.g., LIBS) system includes a laser source generating a laser beam for creating a plasma at a location on a sample, and a spectrometer responsive to photons emitted by the sample at said location and having an output. A controller is responsive to a trigger signal and is configured to activate the laser source generating a series of laser pulses in a cleaning cycle, process the spectrometer output, and automatically terminate the cleaning cycle based on the spectrometer output. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An analysis system comprising: a laser source generating a laser beam for creating a plasma at a location on a sample; a spectrometer responsive to photons emitted by the sample at said location and having an output; and a controller subsystem, responsive to a trigger signal, and including a memory with computer code stored therein including programming to: activate the laser source generating a series of laser pulses striking the sample location in a cleaning cycle, process the resulting spectrometer output, automatically terminate the cleaning cycle at said sample location based on the spectrometer output indicating a clean sample location and initiate an analysis cycle at said sample location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 in which processing the spectrometer output includes analyzing the intensity of one or more peaks for multiple pulses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 in which terminating the cleaning cycle occurs when said intensity changes by less than a predetermined percentage over a predetermined number of laser pulses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3 in which analyzing the intensity includes computing a rolling average of the intensity over multiple pulses. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further including an adjustable focusing lens for focusing the laser beam to a small spot size at said sample location. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5 in which the controller is further configured to adjust the focusing lens to produce a larger spot size during the cleaning cycle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 in which the controller is further configured to adjust said focusing lens based on the spectrometer output. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 in which the controller is configured to adjust said focusing lens until a maximum or near maximum intensity is reached for at least one peak. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further including a movable optic configured to sequentially create a plasma at multiple locations on the sample. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 in which the controller is further configured to adjust said optic and initiate and terminate the cleaning cycle at multiple locations on the sample. ### Claim 11 An analysis method comprising: in response to a trigger signal, activating a laser source generating a series of laser pulses creating a plasma at a location on a sample in a cleaning cycle; detecting photons emitted by the sample at said location and producing an output; processing the output; automatically terminating the cleaning cycle based on the output indicating a clean sample location; and initiating an analysis cycle at said location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 in which processing the output includes analyzing the intensity of one or more peaks for multiple pulses. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 in which terminating the cleaning cycle occurs when said intensity changes by less than a predetermined percentage over a predetermined number of laser pulses. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 in which analyzing the intensity includes computing a rolling average of the intensity over multiple pulses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further including adjusting the focus of the laser pulses to a small spot size on said sample. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further including adjusting the focus to produce a larger spot size during the cleaning cycle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 including adjusting said focus based on the output. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 including adjusting the focus until a maximum or near maximum intensity is reached for at least one peak. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 further including creating a plasma at multiple locations on the sample. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further including initiating and terminating the cleaning cycle at multiple locations on the sample. ### Claim 21 An analysis system comprising: a laser source generating a laser beam for creating a plasma at a location on a sample; a spectrometer responsive to photons emitted by the sample at said location and having an output; and means, responsive to a trigger signal, for: activating the laser source generating a series of laser pulses striking the sample location in a cleaning cycle, processing the resulting spectrometer output, automatically terminating the cleaning cycle based on the spectrometer output indicating a clean sample location; and initiating an analysis cycle at said sample location.