Patent ID: 8869592
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A two stage thermal modulator, comprising: a housing; a cavity in said housing, the cavity configured to contain a coolant; a modulator column comprising a chilled region disposed within said cavity so as to be in contact with said coolant; a ground point coupled to said modulator column and within said chilled region, said ground point operable to connect said modulator column to electrical ground; and at least one power supply coupled to said modulator column at a first point and a second point along said modulator column, said at least one power supply operable to resistively heat a first stage of said modulator column and a second stage of said modulator column, said first stage being between said first point and said ground point, said second stage being between said ground point and said second point; wherein: said modulator column has a resistivity R1, a thermal mass TM1, and a cross sectional area CSA1; said ground point has a resistivity R2, a thermal mass TM2, and a cross sectional area CSA2; and at least two of the following relationships are true: