Methods and apparatus for screening diverse arrays of materials are provided. In one aspect, systems and methods are provided for imaging a
library of materials using
ultrasonic imaging techniques. The
system includes one or more devices for exciting an element of the
library such that acoustic
waves are propagated through, and from, the element. The acoustic
waves propagated from the element are detected and processed to yield a visual image of the
library element. The
acoustic wave data can also be processed to obtain information about the elastic properties of the library element. In another aspect, systems and methods are provided for generating acoustic
waves in a tank filled with a
coupling liquid. The library of materials is then placed in the tank and the surface of the
coupling liquid is scanned with a
laser beam. The structure of the liquid surface disturbed by the
acoustic wave is recorded, the recorded disturbance being representative of the
physical structure of the library. In another aspect of the invention, a mechanical
resonator is used to evaluate various properties (e.g., molecular weight,
viscosity,
specific weight, elasticity,
dielectric constant,
conductivity, etc.) of the individual liquid elements of a library of materials. The
resonator is designed to ineffectively excite acoustic waves. The
frequency response of the
resonator is measured for the liquid element under test, preferably as a function of time. By calibrating the resonator to a set of standard liquids with known properties, the properties of the unknown liquid can be determined. An array of library elements can be characterized by a single scanning
transducer or by using an array of transducers corresponding to the array of library elements. Alternatively, multiple resonators of differing design may be used to evaluate each element of a library of elements, thus providing improved
dynamic range and sensitivity.