Abstract
We report the design and operation of a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) for use with either solid or liquid samples with a volume down to a few microliters. The calorimeter is based on lithium tantalite pyroelectric bulk material used to perceive the energy involved in any phase transformation process. The device consists of a pyroelectric substrate, a thermoelectric cooler and a heat dissipation system. Its effectiveness is demonstrated by scanning the freezing and melting phase shifts of water droplets, ranging from 1 to 2 l. The latent heat of fusion and solidification were measured to within 3% of the bulk value.