According to a manufacturing method of a heat flux sensor, the heat flux sensor is sandwiched between a heater plate and a cooling unit. The heater plate is disposed on the first surface of the heat flux sensor, and the cooling unit is disposed on the second surface of the same. A heat radiation measurement plate is disposed on a surface of the heater plate opposite to the surface on which the heat flux sensor is disposed. According to this configuration, the temperature of the heater plate is controlled in an inspection process such that the heater plate is kept at an ambient temperature. This makes it possible to stabilize the temperature of the heater plate in a short time.

According to a manufacturing method of a heat flux sensor, the heat flux sensor is sandwiched between a heater plate and a cooling unit. The heater plate is disposed on the first surface of the heat flux sensor, and the cooling unit is disposed on the second surface of the same. A heat radiation measurement plate is disposed on a surface of the heater plate opposite to the surface on which the heat flux sensor is disposed. According to this configuration, the temperature of the heater plate is controlled in an inspection process such that the heater plate is kept at an ambient temperature. This makes it possible to stabilize the temperature of the heater plate in a short time.

The invention provides a calibration method for calibrating a chip-based microfluidic calorimeter, wherein the chip-based microfluidic calorimeter comprises one or more thermopiles, wherein the calibration method uses the deprotonating reaction of a phosphate group, the method comprising: providing calibration liquids comprising (i) a buffer with a pH range of at least 7-9 and (ii) a first compound with a phosphate group which is protonated in a pH range of at least 3-6, and mixing these calibration liquids in the chip-based microfluidic calorimeter to provide a calibration liquid mixture whereby heat is generated, measuring the heat by the thermopiles and thereby providing a corresponding thermopile signal, and calibrating the chip-based microfluidic calorimeter by relating the thermopile signal to reference data of the deprotonating reaction.

A calibrated measurement circuit, with a first node, a second node, a circuit element coupled between the first node and the second node, and a reference circuit element. The calibrated measurement circuit also comprises circuitry for directing a first current and a second current between the first node and the second node and to the reference circuit element. The calibrated measurement circuit also comprises circuitry for measuring voltage across the circuit element in response to the first and second currents, and circuitry for measuring voltage across the reference circuit element in response to the first and second currents. A calibration factor is also determined for calibrating measured voltages across the circuit element, in response to a relationship between the first voltage, the second voltage, and the reference circuit element.

A failure determination circuit includes a switching circuit that receives a signal including an output voltage from a temperature sensor and a first reference voltage and outputs the signal in a time division manner, an A/D conversion circuit that A/D converts an output of the switching circuit, and a first determination circuit, and the first determination circuit determines a failure of the temperature sensor based on a signal based on a first digital signal obtained by A/D converting an output voltage from the temperature sensor by the A/D conversion circuit, a signal based on a second digital signal obtained by A/D converting the first reference voltage by the A/D conversion circuit, and temperature characteristics data based on a change in characteristics of the temperature sensor due to temperature and a change in characteristics of the first reference voltage due to temperature.

A failure determination circuit includes a switching circuit that receives a signal including an output voltage from a temperature sensor and a first reference voltage and outputs the signal in a time division manner, an A/D conversion circuit that A/D converts an output of the switching circuit, and a first determination circuit, and the first determination circuit determines a failure of the temperature sensor based on a signal based on a first digital signal obtained by A/D converting an output voltage from the temperature sensor by the A/D conversion circuit, a signal based on a second digital signal obtained by A/D converting the first reference voltage by the A/D conversion circuit, and temperature characteristics data based on a change in characteristics of the temperature sensor due to temperature and a change in characteristics of the first reference voltage due to temperature.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus is prevented from being stopped by a breakdown of one or more of multiple temperature detector used to detect an abnormality of a resonance frequency. The apparatus includes: a circuit that adjusts power from a power supply to power of a desired voltage; an inverter that converts the power output by the circuit into alternate-current power; a resonance circuit having an inductance and a capacitance; a transformer that converts the alternate-current power; a rectifier that converts the alternate-current into direct-current power; temperature detector that detects temperatures of the resonance circuit; and a controller that detects an abnormality of a resonance frequency in response to that the temperatures are equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature threshold, and, in response to that the temperature detector of the resonance circuit is abnormal, executes control for handling the abnormality of the temperature detector.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus is prevented from being stopped by a breakdown of one or more of multiple temperature detector used to detect an abnormality of a resonance frequency. The apparatus includes: a circuit that adjusts power from a power supply to power of a desired voltage; an inverter that converts the power output by the circuit into alternate-current power; a resonance circuit having an inductance and a capacitance; a transformer that converts the alternate-current power; a rectifier that converts the alternate-current into direct-current power; temperature detector that detects temperatures of the resonance circuit; and a controller that detects an abnormality of a resonance frequency in response to that the temperatures are equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature threshold, and, in response to that the temperature detector of the resonance circuit is abnormal, executes control for handling the abnormality of the temperature detector.

A temperature measurement method includes: a temperature calibrator with a first test structure of which a resistance forms a first functional relationship with a temperature is placed on a stage in a chamber; a temperature of the chamber is made to reach a set temperature; a voltage is applied to two opposite ends of the first test structure to obtain a corresponding current and a corresponding resistance; and an actual temperature of the temperature calibrator is acquired according to the resistance and the first functional relationship.

A temperature measurement method includes: a temperature calibrator with a first test structure of which a resistance forms a first functional relationship with a temperature is placed on a stage in a chamber; a temperature of the chamber is made to reach a set temperature; a voltage is applied to two opposite ends of the first test structure to obtain a corresponding current and a corresponding resistance; and an actual temperature of the temperature calibrator is acquired according to the resistance and the first functional relationship.