Liquid expansion thermometer and microcalorimeter
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsIan Hunter, Robert David
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A calorimeter is provided for measuring a quantity of heat. The calorimeter has a liquid constrained so as to allow expansion of the liquid solely in one dimension along a single axis such that liquid expansion may be measured on the basis of light impinging along the single axis of liquid expansion by means of a non-contact displacement transducer. Interferometric optical means for remote measurement of multiple microcalorimeters permits parallel monitoring of multiple chemical reactions and the performance of parallel biochemical assays.
Claims20
A calorimeter for measuring a quantity of heat, the calorimeter comprising a liquid constrained so as to allow expansion of the liquid solely in one dimension along a single axis, measurement of liquid expansion being based upon light impinging along the single axis of liquid expansion.
A liquid expansion thermometer comprising:
- a. a first liquid constrained so as to allow expansion of the liquid in only a single expansion dimension;
- and
- b. an interferometer for measuring displacement of a surface of the liquid in the expansion dimension.
A system for monitoring a plurality of chemical reactions disposed in an array configuration of liquid samples, comprising a plurality of liquid expansion calorimeters, one liquid expansion calorimeter associated with each chemical reaction of the array.
A system for monitoring a plurality of chemical reactions, the system comprising:
- a. an array of discrete reaction loci;
- and
- b. at least one interferometer for remotely measuring a thermodynamic variable of each sample.
A method for monitoring heat evolved in a chemical reaction, the method comprising:
- a. providing a liquid expansion calorimeter;
- b. conducting heat from the chemical reaction to the liquid expansion calorimeter;
- and
- c. monitoring a change in heat content of the liquid expansion calorimeter.
A method for monitoring an array of parallel biochemical assays, the method comprising measuring a thermodynamic variable selected from the group of heat, temperature, volume, and pressure, wherein the thermodynamic variable is measured optically.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.