US 12,009,195 B2
Systems and methods for securing fabric, paper, and film samples for analysis by laser ablation
Daniel R. Wiederin, Omaha, NE (US); Ross Coenen, Omaha, NE (US); and Mark Casper, Blair, NE (US)
Assigned to Elemental Scientific, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed by Elemental Scientific, Inc., Omaha, NE (US)
Filed on Jul. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/381,949.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/055,073, filed on Jul. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0028675 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. H01J 49/04 (2006.01); G01N 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 49/0409 (2013.01) [G01N 1/04 (2013.01); G01N 2001/045 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for securing a thin, solid sample for laser ablation, the method comprising:
securing a thin, solid sample with a sample holder system, the sample holder system configured to hold the thin, solid sample in a taut configuration between a piston and a sample holder base;
introducing a coating to the sample holder system to cover at least a portion of the thin, solid sample in the taut configuration;
ablating a blank sample holder system with the laser ablation system to provide a blank sample, the blank sample holder system including the coating and having no portions of the thin, solid sample thereon;
transferring the sample holder system to a laser ablation system;
ablating at least a portion of the thin, solid sample in the taut configuration with the laser ablation system to provide an ablated sample;
analyzing the content of the blank sample via a sample analysis system;
generating a signal corresponding to the content of the blank sample;
analyzing content of the ablated sample via the sample analysis system;
generating a signal corresponding to the content of the ablated sample; and
subtracting the signal corresponding to the content of the blank sample from the signal corresponding to the content of the ablated sample.