Thermal Cycling Apparatus and Method for Providing Thermal Uniformity
An apparatus and method for rapid thermal cycling including a thermal diffusivity plate. The thermal diffusivity plate can provide substantial temperature uniformity throughout the thermal block assembly during thermal cycling by a thermoelectric module. An edge heater can provide substantial temperature uniformity throughout the thermal block assembly during thermal cycling.
1 . An apparatus for thermally cycling biological samples comprising:
a thermal block assembly for receiving said biological samples;
a thermoelectric module coupled to said thermal block assembly; and
a heat sink, wherein said heat sink is coupled to said thermoelectric module with a thermal interface medium, wherein said heat sink comprises a base plate, fins, and a thermal diffusivity plate, and wherein said thermal diffusivity plate comprises a different material than said base plate and fins,
wherein said thermal diffusivity plate provides substantial temperature uniformity to said thermal block assembly during thermal cycling.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermal diffusivity plate is positioned to couple to said thermoelectric module with the thermal interface medium.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermal block assembly comprises at least one of silver, gold, aluminum, silicone carbide, and magnesium.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said base plate and fins comprise aluminum.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a thermoelectric gap, wherein said thermoelectric gap provides substantial temperature uniformity throughout said thermal block assembly.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said thermoelectric gap is less than 5 millimeters.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an edge heater, wherein said edge heater is coupled to the perimeter of said thermal block assembly.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said apparatus provides a PCR cycle time of less than thirty seconds.
9 . An apparatus for thermally cycling biological samples comprising:
a thermal block assembly for receiving said biological samples;
a thermoelectric module capable of heating and cooling, wherein the thermoelectric module is coupled to said thermal block assembly;
a heat sink; and
a thermal diffusivity plate comprising copper coupled to said thermoelectric module with a thermal interface medium and coupled to said heat sink, wherein said thermal diffusivity plate is positioned between said thermoelectric module and said heat sink and has a significantly greater thermal diffusivity than said heat sink, and provides substantial temperature uniformity to said thermal block assembly during thermal cycling.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said substantial temperature uniformity provides cooling of at least 10° C. in at most ten seconds for said thermal block assembly.
11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said thermal block assembly comprises silver and gold.
12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said thermoelectric module comprises a thermoelectric gap, wherein said thermoelectric gap provides substantial temperature uniformity throughout said thermal block assembly.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said thermoelectric gap is less than 5 millimeters.
14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising an edge heater, wherein said edge heater is coupled to the perimeter of said thermal block assembly.
15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermoelectric module comprises at least two power regions.
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a seal positioned on top of said thermal block assembly.
17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thermal interface medium is thermal grease.
18 . An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermal diffusivity plate is positioned within said base plate.
19 . An apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area overlaps said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area.
20 . An apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area is larger than said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area.
21 . An apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area is larger than said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area.
22 . An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said thermal interface medium is thermal grease.
23 . An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area overlaps said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area.
24 . An apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area is larger than said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area.
25 . An apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said thermal diffusivity plate's horizontal surface area is larger than said thermoelectric module's horizontal surface area.
26 . An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said thermal diffusivity plate is positioned within a base plate of said heat sink.