Patent ID: 11971352
Assignee: THERMO ELECTRON SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 6:
7. A method for examining a sample with a measurement system, the method comprising:
positioning a sample on a contact surface of an internally reflective element;
contacting the sample by a contact member positioned adjacent to the internally reflective element;
applying a force to the sample with at least one of the contact member and the internally reflective element;
scanning the sample by an optical assembly comprising a light source and a light detector, the scanning comprising:
directing source light from the light source towards the contact surface, and
detecting source light optically interacting with the contact surface by the light detector,
wherein prior to the scan, an initial force is applied to the sample by the at least one of the contact member and the internally reflective element, and wherein after the scan, a resulting force is applied to the sample by the at least one of the contact member and the internally reflective element, wherein the resulting force is different than the initial force;

detecting, by a sensor, the resulting force applied to the sample by the at least one of the contact member and the internally reflective element;
comparing the initial force to the resulting force;
determining that the initial force and the resulting force are different;
adjusting, by an actuator, the force applied to the sample by the at least one of the contact member and the internally reflective element from the resulting force to the initial force based on the determination that the initial force and the resulting force are different; and
after the force applied to the sample is adjusted to the initial force, rescanning the sample via the optical assembly.