Thermal design of microcalorimeters based on finite element simulation

Thermal finite element (FE) simulations of two different microcalorimetric arrangements are reported on. Both arrangements use highly sensitive thermopiles made of thin firms of Bi0.87Sb0.13 and Sb as transducers fi om the thermal domain to the electrical domain and both employ microheaters for internal electrical calibration. In the first arrangement, the heat to be measured develops in a reaction drop placed on a micromachined free-standing membrane while, in the second one, it develops in the interdiffusion zone of a thermally insulated micro flow reactor channel with two inlets and one outlet. FE simulations are used to investigate the response of the microcalorimeters to loads applied at the heater in dependence on variations of several design parameters.