RAIRS sample requirements

In order to characterize the surface regions of a sample that has been modified in some way, as is usually the case in adhesion-related investigations, some sort of a reflection experiment is required. Two types of experiments, attenuated total reflection (ATR) and reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIR),... 

Spectra obtained by hydrogenation will also be reviewed, although in that area relatively few results are available from single-crystal systems because the prevalent VEELS method requires the use of high vacuum over the sample. This restriction does not apply to RAIRS studies. 

RAIRS requires no special sample geometry it is based on a simple optical configuration and can therefore be used as an in situ technique for many surface processes. 

IR surface analysis is not restricted to solid/gas or solid/liquid interfaces, but can also be used to investigate liquid substrate surfaces (liquid/gas interfaces) and even solid/solid interfaces buried in the bulk of a solid sample. Even though the experimental setup and the measurements of such samples are fairly complex and far from a routine analytical technique, two examples shall be described here in order to show the potential and the diversity of IR spectroscopy in the field of surface analysis. In both cases, an experimental setup equal or similar to RAIRS is used with the light incidence angle being the only variable that must be adapted to the specific requirements of the sample system. In the first... 

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