News & Events

Equipment Contribution - Tektronix - March 17, 2011

Tektronix has contributed their AFG3252 240 MHz 2-Channel Arbitrary Function Generator to the PDP. It will be used to upgrade the Phase IV Dielectric Spectrometer (P4DS), a broad frequency range, high-tolerance detector that will be used as a spectrometer, in the frequency domain, or a DSP lock-in amplifier, in the time domain, while coupled to NI LabView. more...

Event - Research Hiatus Terminated - February 14, 2011

After a long hiatus from research, our principle investigator, Stephen Lukacs, returns to the Peptide Dynamics Project with new ideas and approaches to creating better dielectric spectrometers to investigate the intramolecular component dipole moments of peptides and proteins. Lets see if we can't find that elusive signal.

Scientific Publication - "Noise-Rejection Techniques for Impedance and Dielectric Spectrometers Using Ubiquitous Test and Measurement Equipment" - January 30, 2007

This work was submitted on December 18th and accepted by the prestigious journal Review of Scientific Instruments, a publication of the American Institute of Physics.

Stephen J. Lukacs, Review of Scientific Instruments, 78(3), 34703:1-6, (2007).
Abstract - This work encompassed the development for a frequency-domain impedance and dielectric spectrometer using ubiquitous test and measurement equipment, i.e., signal generators and digital oscilloscopes. Various methods of amplification, noise-rejection, and computations were employed to achieve the desired goals. The frequency range of 100 mHz to 1 MHz was tested using air capacitors of 3.7 and 14.5 pF and an applied voltage range of 10 to 300 mV. The multi-channel instrument produced a stable and reproducible dual-phase (real and imaginary or magnitude and phase) current sensitivity of 250 fA with an average phase stability of less than 0.5 degrees (tan(delta) < 10-2), and a single-phase (magnitude only) current sensitivity of 60 fA. more...

Software Development - LabView Drivers for the Fluke 396 Arbitrary Function Generator - September 26, 2006

GPIB and serial (COM) drivers, using the VISA 3.2 standard, for National Instruments LabView v7 and v8 were created for the Fluke 396 Arbitrary Function Generator. These drivers, and an example application, will fill a necessary void when interfacing this generator to a PC. These drivers are freely downloadable from right here. SERIAL download... GPIB download...

Software Development - LabView Drivers for the Stanford Research SR830 & SR850 DSP Lock-In Amplifiers - September 24, 2006

GPIB drivers, using the VISA 3.2 standard, for National Instruments LabView v7 and v8 were created for the Stanford Research DSP Lock-In Amplifiers, Models SR830 & SR850. These drivers include the amplifier's unique SNAP and FAST implementations of simultaneously querying the real (in-phase) and imaginary (quadrature) components of the detector. These drivers, and an example application, will fill a necessary void when interfacing these amplifiers to a PC. Login access to this site is required to download these drivers, please email us to request access.

Equipment Contribution - Infinite Quantum - August 15, 2006

Infinite Quantum, the developers of Fleet Dynamics, has donated a Stanford Research SR830 Lock-In Amplifier to the PDP. This amplifier will be converted into an impedance/dielectric spectrometer with a frequency range of 1 mHz to 100 kHz and a current sensitivity down to 2 fA. This equipment will prove vital to understanding the dielectric responses of peptides and proteins.

Software Development - LabView Drivers for the Fluke PM6306 RCL Meter - July 26, 2006

GPIB drivers, using the VISA 3.2 standard, for National Instruments LabView v7 and v8 were created for the Fluke PM6306 RCL Meter. These drivers, and an example application, will fill a necessary void when interfacing this RCL meter to a PC. These drivers are freely downloadable from ni.com or right here. download...

Equipment Contribution - Fluke - June 22, 2006

Fluke has contributed an PM6306 RCL Meter and a 396 Arbitrary Waveform Generator to the PDP. The RCL meter will standardize new sample cells, and measure the conductivity of new chemical samples to standardize sample preparation. The latter is critical because an increased conductivity will obscure the dielectric signals of the peptides and proteins. more...

Event - Dielectric Spectrometers II & III (DS2 & DS3) Proposal - June 17, 2006

After the DS2 Proposal was create, below, it was realized that the DS3 can be amalgamated with the DS2 using a common temperature circulator, computer, and software. By combining the common components of the DS2 with the DS3, over $15,000 can be saved while increasing the overall capability and point-of-view of the observations. The DS3 will include capabilites to study fast transient behavior in peptides and proteins while the DS2 provides highly sensitive change-of-state studies. more...

Event - Dielectric Spectrometer II (DS2) Proposal - June 14, 2006

The second dielectric spectrometer (DS2) has been proposed for the PDP. The essential approach is to create a sensitive and precise instrument to study the temperature-dependent dielectric signals from peptides and proteins at a fraction of the cost than commercial spectrometers. more...

Event - The PDP goes public on iquanta.org - March 12, 2006

infinite quanta brought the Peptide Dynamics Project (PDP) to the public on the internet at iquanta.org. We hope that the website will promote the project, its support, as well as educate the general public of its goals, instrumentation, and biophysics, in general. more...

Equipment Contribution - Tektronix - November 25, 2005

Tektronix has contributed their TDS5104 1-GHz 4-Channel Touch-Screen Digital Oscilloscope to the PDP. It will be used to create the Phase IV Dielectric Spectrometer (P4DS), a broad frequency range, high-tolerance detector that will be used as a spectrometer, in the frequency domain, or a DSP lock-in amplifier, in the time domain, while coupled to NI LabView. more...

Equipment Contribution - Millipore - November 4, 2005

Millipore has contributed the Elix 5 Reverse Osmosis and the Milli-Q Academic Ultra-Pure Water Purification Systems. The Elix creates the best Type II water available and the Milli-Q creates the best Type I HPLC-Grade water available. These two grades of water will be used to study and reduce electrode polarization interference in the sample cells of the PDP's dielectric spectrometers. more...

Equipment Contribution - 3M - June 10, 2005

3M has contributed two M170 17" LCD Touch-Screen Monitors to the PDP. These will be used, in part, to create the Phase V Dielectric Spectrometer (P5DS). more...

Equipment Contribution - Mettler-Toledo - November 13, 2004

Mettler-Toledo has contributed an AT261 Analytical Balance and a MP220 pH Meter to the PDP. These instruments will be used to for sample preparation and calibration. more...

News Article - Florida Times Union - September 15th, 2004

This article in the Nassau Neighbors of the Florida Times Union is the first public exposure of the project. more...

Event - The IRS grants 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption to infinite quanta - July 14, 2004

It required six weeks to create the application and over six months after its submission; infinite quanta has received its official 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the I.R.S. This status allows infinite quanta to perform pure scientific research and apply and compete for federal and national grants along with universities and other national laboratories. It also allows corporations, private foundation, funds, trusts, and individuals to contribute equipment and financial support while receiving tax deductions. more...

Equipment Contribution - National Instruments - May 25, 2004

National Instruments has contributed their PCI-based GPIB-interface boards, cables, and LabView Full v7.1 to the PDP. This interface hardware and high-end instrumentation software will be used in conjunction with the Ametek 7265 DSP Lock-In Amplifier to create the Phase I Dielectric Spectrometer (P1DS). more...

Equipment Contribution - Ametek, Signal Recovery - May 15, 2004

Ametek Corporation, and their subsidiary Signal Recovery, has contributed their 7265 DSP Lock-In Amplifer to the PDP. This equipment is the center of the Phase I Dielectric Spectrometer (P1DS) because of its sine-wave generator and high CMRR DSP-based amplifier. This amplifier will be coupled to with a PC using GPIB and National Instruments LabView Full v7.1. more...

Event - infinite quanta officially adopts its Corporate ByLaws - December 20, 2003

The corporate bylaws formally state the intention and purpose of the corporation. Since infinite quanta is a nonprofit entity, it must have the high goal of promoting the well-being of society. Specifically, this will be performed with pure scientific research and education. more...

Event - infinite quanta becomes a nonprofit corporation - November 25, 2003

The idea of performing pure scientific research was crystallized with the first step of incorporating as a nonprofit in the State of Florida. Its purpose was/is, "To perform pure scientific research and develope innovative and applied scientific instrumentation for the general purpose of aquiring constructive scientific knowledge and the distribution of such pure knowledge and applied innovation through various forms of information transmission, i.e. scientific journals, video, internet, etc." more...