The detection of small differential temperature changes between a heat generating sample and a reference at room temperature is of value in numerous applications, including recording of cell growth, determination of chemical reaction rate at low concentrations, monitoring heat evolution of integrated circuits and the study of solar cell efficiency.  Here the use of a liquid nitrogen cooled HgCdTe detector in a configuration where the field of view of the detector is switched rapidly between a sample and a reference using a resonant mirror is reported.  The differential temperature is determined through use of lock-in detection. The capabilities of the apparatus are demonstrated in a calibration experiment with a laser as a heating source, determination of the resistive heating of a thermistor temperature sensor, and experiments with an acid-base reaction and the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with catalase.  An Allan deviation analysis of the sensitivity in a calibration experiment shows that the device is capable of determination of 60 μK differences at an integration time of 1 sec.

High sensitivity differential temperature detection

2019 Fall National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.