Patent ID: 7518710

Claim:
An optical interrogation system for particulate analysis comprising: a sample substrate receiving area for receiving a sample substrate having a sample thereon, said sample substrate receiving area aligned along an optical path of said optical interrogation system; an objective in said optical path; a first optical device for analyzing a sample collected on a sample substrate that has been received into said sample substrate receiving area, said first optical device positioned to receive a first beam that has been directed through said objective along said optical path towards said sample substrate receiving area and which has been reflected from said sample substrate receiving area, wherein said first optical device is configured to output first data that is utilized by a processor to select target locations within said sample substrate receiving area; and a second optical device for interrogating said sample at each target location, said second optical device positioned to receive a second beam that has been directed through said objective along said optical path towards said sample substrate receiving area and which has been reflected from said sample substrate receiving area, wherein said second optical device is configured to output interrogation data which is utilized by said processor for identifying whether particulates of interest are contained on said sample substrate.