MEMS-BASED CALORIMETER, FABRICATION, AND USE THEREOF
First Claim
1. A microdevice for calorimetric measurement, comprisinga first thermally isolated microchamber;
- a second thermally isolated microchamber;
a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer;
wherein the first thermally isolated microchamber and the second thermally isolated microchamber are identical in volume and configuration, and arranged side by side, each supported on the thin film substrate,wherein the thin film substrate has a first side constituting a floor of the first and second microchambers and a second side opposing the first side,wherein the thin film substrate comprises a thermoelectric sensor located under each of the first and second thermally isolated microchambers and configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; and
wherein the thin film substrate includes a polymeric diaphragm made of a material having a glass transition temperature greater than 150°
C. and thermal decomposition temperature greater than 250°
C.
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Accused Products
Abstract
MEMS-based calorimeter including two microchambers supported in a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer is provided. The thin film substrate includes a thermoelectric sensor configured to measure temperature differential between the two microchambers, and also includes a thermally stable and high strength polymeric diaphragm. Methods for fabricating the MEMS-based calorimeter, as well as methods of using the calorimeter to measure thermal properties of materials, such as biomolecules, or thermodynamic properties of chemical reactions or physical interactions, are also provided.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microdevice for calorimetric measurement, comprising
a first thermally isolated microchamber; -
a second thermally isolated microchamber; a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer; wherein the first thermally isolated microchamber and the second thermally isolated microchamber are identical in volume and configuration, and arranged side by side, each supported on the thin film substrate, wherein the thin film substrate has a first side constituting a floor of the first and second microchambers and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the thin film substrate comprises a thermoelectric sensor located under each of the first and second thermally isolated microchambers and configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; and wherein the thin film substrate includes a polymeric diaphragm made of a material having a glass transition temperature greater than 150°
C. and thermal decomposition temperature greater than 250°
C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of determining a thermal property of an analyte, comprising
providing a microdevice, comprising: -
a first thermally isolated microchamber; a second thermally isolated microchamber; a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer; wherein the first thermally isolated microchamber and the second thermally isolated microchamber are identical in volume and configuration, and arranged side by side, each supported on the thin film substrate, wherein the thin film substrate has a first side constituting a floor of the first and second microchambers and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the thin film substrate comprises; a thermoelectric sensor located under each of the first and second thermally isolated microchambers and configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; a first microheater and a first temperature sensor, each aligned under the first thermally isolated microchamber; and a second microheater and a second temperature sensor, each aligned under the second thermally isolated microchamber; and wherein the thin film substrate includes a polymeric diaphragm made of a material having a glass transition temperature greater than 150°
C. and thermal decomposition temperature greater than 250°
C.;providing a thermal enclosure enclosing the microdevice; loading a sample material containing an analyte into the first microchamber; loading a reference material into the second microchamber, the reference material does not contain the analyte; heating the thermal enclosure at a predetermined temperature scanning rate; determining a thermal property of the analyte based on the measured temperature differential between the first microchamber and the second microchamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of determining a thermal property of an analyte, comprising
providing a microdevice including two identically configured thermally isolated microchambers, each of the two microchambers supported on a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer, wherein the thin film substrate comprises a thermoelectric sensor configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; -
providing a thermal enclosure enclosing the microdevice; loading a sample material containing an analyte into one of the two microchambers; loading a reference material into the other of the two microchambers, the reference material does not contain the analyte; heating the thermal enclosure at a predetermined temperature scanning rate; providing additional temporally modulated heating to the sample material and the reference material during the heating of the thermal enclosure; and determining a thermal property of the analyte based on the measured temperature differential between the first microchamber and the second microchamber.
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19. A method of determining heat involved in a reaction between at least two substances, comprising:
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providing a microdevice, comprising; a first thermally isolated microchamber; a second thermally isolated microchamber; a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer; wherein the first thermally isolated microchamber and the second thermally isolated microchamber are identical in volume and configuration, and arranged side by side, each supported on the thin film substrate, wherein the thin film substrate has a first side constituting a floor of the first and second microchambers and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the thin film substrate comprises a thermoelectric sensor located under each of the first and second thermally isolated microchambers and configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; wherein the thin film substrate includes a polymeric diaphragm made of a material having a glass transition temperature greater than 150°
C. and thermal decomposition temperature greater than 250°
C., andproviding a thermal enclosure enclosing the microdevice; providing a sample solution into the first thermally isolated microchamber, the sample solution containing a mixture of a first substance and a second substance at a first concentration ratio; providing a reference solution into the second thermally isolated microchamber, the reference solution does not contain at least one of the first and the second substances; maintaining the thermal enclosure at a first predetermined constant temperature; determining the heat involved in the reaction between the first substance and the second substance at the first ratio and the first predetermined constant temperature based on the measured temperature differential between the first microchamber and the second microchamber.
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20. A method of determining heat involved in a reaction between at least two substances, comprising:
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providing a microdevice including two identically configured thermally isolated microchambers, each of the two microchambers supported on a thin film substrate formed on a polymeric layer, wherein the thin film substrate comprises a thermoelectric sensor configured to measure the temperature differential between the first and second thermally isolated microchambers; providing a thermal enclosure enclosing the microdevice; feeding a sample solution into the first thermally isolated microchamber, wherein the sample solution is prepared mixing a first substance with a second substance; feeding a reference solution into the second thermally isolated microchamber, the reference solution does not contain at least one of the first and the second substances; determining the heat involved in the reaction between the first substance and the second substance based on the measured temperature differential between the first microchamber and the second microchamber.
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Specification