Modulation calorimetry and related techniques

Modulation techniques for measuring specific heat, thermal expansivity, temperature derivative of resistance, thermopower, and spectral absorptance are reviewed. Owing to the periodic nature of temperature oscillations, high sensitivity and excellent temperature resolution are peculiar to all these methods. Various methods of modulation and of measuring the temperature oscillations are presented. Some applications of the modulation techniques for studying physical phenomena in solids and liquids are considered (equilibrium point defects, phase transitions, relaxation phenomena in specific heat). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.