title: Highly sensitive pseudo-differential ac-nanocalorimeter for the study of the glass transition.
abstract: We present a nanocalorimeter designed for the measurement of the dynamic heat capacity of thin films. The microfabricated sensor, the thermal conditioning of the sensor, as well as the highly stable and low noise electronic chain allow measurements of the real and imaginary parts of the complex specific heat with a resolution Δ C/C of about 10(-5). The performances of this quasi-differential nanocalorimeter were tested on a model of polymeric glass-former, the polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). The high stability and low noise of the device are essential for accurate studies on non-equilibrium slow relaxing systems such as glasses.
authors.affiliation: Institut NÉEL, CNRS, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Mohcine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laarraj
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ingénierie et des Matériaux (LIMAT), Université Hassan II de Casablanca, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'Sik, Casablanca Maroc, Morocco.
authors.forename: Rahma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Adhiri
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée (LPMC), Université Hassan II de Casablanca, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'Sik, Casablanca Maroc, Morocco.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouaskit
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ingénierie et des Matériaux (LIMAT), Université Hassan II de Casablanca, Faculté des Sciences Ben M'Sik, Casablanca Maroc, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moussetad
authors.affiliation: Institut NÉEL, CNRS, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guttin
authors.affiliation: Institut NÉEL, CNRS, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: Institut NÉEL, CNRS, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38042 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Garden