Patent ID: 9551568
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G01B,G02B

Claim:
1. A method for determining a best-focus condition for imaging of a sample with a scanning microscope system, the method comprising: a) with an optical detector of said scanning microscope system, acquiring optical data from through-focus scans performed at at least three initial transverse locations at a target area of the sample, said optical data representing positions, of best-focus points, that have been determined from said initial through-focus scans in coordination with the at least three initial transverse locations, respectively; b) forming a focus map for the target area, with a computer processor, said focus map containing: c) acquiring, from additional through-focus scans of the sample, updated optical data representing positions of additional best-focus points in coordination with respectively corresponding transverse locations for the target area, said additional through-focus scans having been performed at one or more verification points at the target area; d) computing difference values between e) when a difference value from said difference values is larger than a depth of focus of an objective of said scanning microscope system, forming experimental data containing said updated optical data, and repeating steps (b) through (d).