Fiber optic apparatus and use thereof in combinatorial material science

A method for characterizing a plurality of liquid samples or components thereof, the method comprising

• providing a plurality of liquid samples, each of the plurality of samples having an exposed surface that defines a gas-liquid sample interface, and
• analyzing the plurality of samples in parallel by light scattering methods that include simultaneously transmitting light into each of the plurality of samples, and detecting light scattered from each of the plurality of samples or a component thereof, the light being transmitted or detected through the gas-sample interface of each of the plurality of samples

A method for identifying useful materials, the method comprising

• providing a library of liquid samples, the library comprising four or more different liquid samples,
• analyzing at least four samples of the library in parallel by light scattering methods that include simultaneously transmitting light into the at least four samples of the library, detecting light scattered from the at least four samples of the library or components thereof, and determining a property of the at least four samples of the library or components thereof, and
• comparing the determined property of each of the at least four samples of the library.

The method of claim 43 wherein the number and spatial arrangement of the samples on the first and second sample holders is the same, and the number and spatial arrangement of probes included in the array corresponds to the number and spatial arrangement of the samples on the first and second sample holders.

An apparatus for characterizing a plurality of liquid samples, the apparatus comprising

• a sample holder for presenting an array of four or more liquid samples, and
• a probe head comprising an array of two or more fiber optic probes arranged to correspond to the array of samples or a subset thereof, each of the two or more fiber optic probes being adapted to simultaneously illuminate the liquid samples for light scattering analysis.