Patent ID: 7101509

Claim:
A system for controlling the temperature of a sample, the system comprising: a) a reaction vessel having: i) a reaction chamber defined by two opposing major walls and side walls connecting the major walls to each other, at least one of the major walls comprising a sheet or film; ii) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, the loading reservoir being connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel; and iii) an aspiration port connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel; b) an aspiration device for establishing a seal with the aspiration port and for drawing the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the chamber by the aspiration device; c) at least one heating or cooling surface for contacting the sheet or film, the sheet or film being sufficiently flexible to conform to the surface; and d) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the reaction chamber.