Systems and methods are described that allow the high-throughput preparation,
processing, and study of arrays of samples, each of which comprises at least one
compound. Particular embodiments of the invention allow a large number of experiments
to be performed in parallel on samples that comprised of one or more compounds
on the milligram or microgram quantities of compounds. Other embodiments of the
invention encompass methods and devices for the rapid screening of the results
of such experiments, as well as methods and devices for rapidly determining whether
or not similarities exist among groups of samples in an array. Particular embodiments
of the invention encompass methods and devices for the high-throughput preparation
of different forms of compounds (e.g., different crystalline forms), for the discovery
of new forms of old compounds, and for the discovery of new methods of producing
such forms. Embodiments of the invention also allow for the high-throughput determination
of how specific compounds or forms of compounds behave when exposed to other chemicals
or environmental conditions.