Apparatus for Regulating the Temperature of a Biological and/or Chemical Sample and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for regulating the temperature of a chemical and/or biological sample and a method of using the same. The apparatus includes at least one temperature control module. The temperature control module includes a heater, a conductor of caloric, and a temperature sensor. The heater of the temperature control module is adapted to thermally communicate with a removable substrate, on which said chemical and/or biological sample is placed, via the conductor of caloric. The temperature sensor of the temperature control module is adapted to detect and control the temperature of the substrate via the conductor of caloric. The apparatus is designed such that the substrate is situated above said temperature control module to entirely cover said temperature control module.

1 ) An apparatus for regulating the temperature of a chemical and/or biological sample comprising:
 at least one temperature control module, wherein said temperature control module comprises:
 i) a heater, 
 ii) a conductor of caloric selected from the group consisting of a metal, a semiconductor, a diamond, a carbon nanotube, and a fullerene, and 
 iii) a temperature sensor 
   
       wherein the conductor of caloric and the temperature sensor each comprise a surface arranged on a common plane, and wherein said temperature control module comprises a top surface defined to receive
 a removable substrate placed in contact with and entirely covering the top surface of said temperature control module; 
 
       and said temperature sensor is adapted to detect and control the temperature of said substrate via the conductor of caloric. 
     
     
         2 ) The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the heater and sensor are arranged concentrically to each other in a top view. 
     
     
         3 ) The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the heater surrounds the sensor. 
     
     
         4 ) The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising at least two temperature control modules thermally isolated from each other. 
     
     
         5 ) The apparatus of  claim 4  comprising at least two pairs of temperature control modules, wherein at least two of said modules oppose each other, each temperature control module having a surface arranged in a common plane with a surface of each other temperature control module. 
     
     
         6 ) The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein each of said modules opposes at least one other module. 
     
     
         7 ) The apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of temperature control modules, wherein each temperature control module is thermally isolated from each other temperature control module. 
     
     
         8 ) An apparatus for regulating the temperature of a chemical and/or biological sample comprising:
 at least one temperature control module, wherein said temperature control module comprises:
 i) a heater, 
 ii) a conductor of caloric selected from the group consisting of a metal, a semiconductor, a diamond, a carbon nanotube, and a fullerene, and 
 iii) a temperature sensor, wherein the conductor of caloric and the temperature sensor each comprise a surface arranged on a common plane, and wherein said temperature control module comprises a top surface, and 
 iv) a removable substrate located above and entirely covering said temperature control module; 
   
       wherein said removable substrate has a top surface structured to receive the sample and a bottom surface arranged to be in contact with the conductor of caloric and said temperature sensor is adapted to detect and control the temperature of said substrate via the conductor of caloric. 
     
     
         9 ) The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the top surface of said sensor comprises a surface that is arranged parallel to the top surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         10 ) The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the top surface of said heater comprises a surface that is arranged parallel to the top surface of said substrate. 
     
     
         11 ) The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said common plane is arranged to be parallel to the top surface of said removable substrate. 
     
     
         12 ) The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the heater and sensor are arranged concentrically to each other in a top view. 
     
     
         13 ) The apparatus of  claim 8  comprising at least two temperature control modules thermally isolated from each other. 
     
     
         14 ) An apparatus for regulating the temperature of a chemical and/or biological sample comprising:
 two or more temperature control modules, each such temperature control module thermally isolated from each other temperature control module and comprising
 i) a heater, 
 ii) a conductor of caloric selected from the group consisting of a metal, a semiconductor, a diamond, a carbon nanotube, and a fullerene, and 
 iii) a temperature sensor 
   
       wherein each said temperature control module comprises a top surface defined to receive
 a removable substrate placed above and entirely covering said temperature control module; 
 
       and wherein said removable substrate has a top surface structured to receive the sample, and a bottom surface arranged to be in contact with the conductor of caloric, and wherein said temperature sensor is adapted to detect and control the temperature of said substrate via the conductor of caloric. 
     
     
         15 ) The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein in each temperature control module the conductor of caloric and the temperature sensor of each comprise a surface arranged on a common plane. 
     
     
         16 ) The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said common plane is arranged to be parallel to the top surface of said removable substrate. 
     
     
         17 ) The apparatus of  claim 14  comprising at least one pair of temperature control modules opposing each other, each temperature control module having a surface arranged in a common plane with a surface of each other temperature control module. 
     
     
         18 ) The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein each of said modules opposes at least one other module. 
     
     
         19 ) The apparatus of  claim 14  comprising a plurality of temperature control modules, wherein each temperature control module is thermally isolated from each other temperature control module. 
     
     
         20 ) The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein each temperature control module has a surface arranged in a common plane with a surface of each other temperature control module.