US 11,808,563 B2
Surface sensing systems and methods for imaging a scanned surface of a sample via sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy
Jeffrey H. Hunt, Thousand Oaks, CA (US); Jianing Shi, Sunnyvale, CA (US); and John Paul Changala, Tustin, CA (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US); and FemtoMetrix, Inc., Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US); and FemtoMetrix, Inc., Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/942,813.
Application 16/352,569 is a division of application No. 15/388,743, filed on Dec. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,274,310, issued on Apr. 30, 2019.
Application 17/942,813 is a continuation of application No. 17/146,192, filed on Jan. 11, 2021, granted, now 11,473,903.
Application 17/146,192 is a continuation of application No. 16/352,569, filed on Mar. 13, 2019, granted, now 10,928,188, issued on Feb. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0003515 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 21/63 (2006.01); G01B 11/24 (2006.01); G01J 3/10 (2006.01); G01J 3/44 (2006.01); G01N 21/65 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/24 (2013.01) [G01J 3/10 (2013.01); G01J 3/108 (2013.01); G01J 3/44 (2013.01); G01N 21/636 (2013.01); G01N 21/65 (2013.01); G01J 2003/102 (2013.01); G01N 2021/638 (2013.01); G01N 2021/655 (2013.01); G01N 2201/103 (2013.01); G01N 2201/105 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for imaging a sample, the method comprising:
exposing the sample to a visible light beam;
inducing optical resonance within a structure in the sample due to exposure of the sample to a tunable infrared (IR) beam;
receiving a portion of an emitted light beam, which includes a sum frequency signal between the visible light beam and the tunable IR beam, from the sample with a light detection system; and
based on receiving the portion of the emitted light beam, generating an image of the sample.