Sub-picowatt resolution calorimetry with a bi-material microcantilever sensor

Sub-picowatt resolution calorimetry with a bi-material microcantilever sensor

Nanoscale, phonon-coupled calorimetry with sub-attojoule/Kelvin resolution.

We have developed an ultrasensitive nanoscale calorimeter that enables heat capacity measurements upon minute, externally affixed (phonon-coupled) samples at low temperatures. For a 5 s measurement at 2 K, we demonstrate an unprecedented resolution of DeltaC approximately 0.5 aJ/K ( approximately 36 000 k(B)). This sensitivity is sufficient to enable heat capacity measurements upon zeptomole-sc...

Compact diffraction grating laser wavemeter with sub-picometer accuracy and picowatt sensitivity using a webcam imaging sensor.

We describe a compact laser wavelength measuring instrument based on a small diffraction grating and a consumer-grade webcam. With just 1 pW of optical power, the instrument achieves absolute accuracy of 0.7 pm, sufficient to resolve individual hyperfine transitions of the rubidium absorption spectrum. Unlike interferometric wavemeters, the instrument clearly reveals multimode laser operation,...

Dual-Fiberoptic Microcantilever Proximity Sensor

Microcantilevers are key components of many Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and Micro-Optical-ElectroMechanical Systems (MOEMS) because slight changes to them physically or chemically lead to changes in mechanical characteristics. An inexpensive dual-fiberoptic microcantilever proximity sensor and model to predict its performance are reported here. Motion of a magnetic-material-coated c...

Detection of Pb2+ using a hydrogel swelling microcantilever sensor.

Hydrogels containing benzo-18-crown-6 were used to modify microcantilevers for measurements of the concentration of Pb2+ in aqueous solutions. These microcantilevers undergo bending deflection upon exposure to solutions containing various Pb2+ concentrations as the result of a swelling of the hydrogels. It was found that a concentration of 10(-6) M Pb2+ can be detected using this technology. Ot...