Raman scattering selection rule

Raman scattering selection rules 516 5.2. Theory of Raman scattering in ... 

Cyvin, S. J., Rauch, J. E. and Decius, J. C. (1965) Theory of hyper-Raman effects (nonlinear inelastic light scattering) selection rules and depolarization ratios for the second-order polarizability. 

Perhaps the best known and most used optical spectroscopy which relies on the use of lasers is Raman spectroscopy. Because Raman spectroscopy is based on the inelastic scattering of photons, the signals are usually weak, and are often masked by fluorescence and/or Rayleigh scattering processes. The interest in usmg Raman for the vibrational characterization of surfaces arises from the fact that the teclmique can be used in situ under non-vacuum enviromnents, and also because it follows selection rules that complement those of IR spectroscopy. 

Another related issue is the computation of the intensities of the peaks in the spectrum. Peak intensities depend on the probability that a particular wavelength photon will be absorbed or Raman-scattered. These probabilities can be computed from the wave function by computing the transition dipole moments. This gives relative peak intensities since the calculation does not include the density of the substance. Some types of transitions turn out to have a zero probability due to the molecules symmetry or the spin of the electrons. This is where spectroscopic selection rules come from. Ah initio methods are the preferred way of computing intensities. Although intensities can be computed using semiempirical methods, they tend to give rather poor accuracy results for many chemical systems. 

In a diatomic or linear polyatomic molecule rotational Raman scattering obeys the selection rule... 

Because Raman scattering is also a two-photon process the selection rules for two-photon absorption are the same as for vibrational Raman transitions. For example, for a two-photon electronic transition to be allowed between a lower state j/" and an upper state... 

The classical theory of scattering provides us with a relatively simple selection rule for Raman activity which can be compared with that for infrared activity. 

The selection rule for rotational Raman transitions are AJ = 2. This result relates to the involvement of two photons, each with angular momentum h, in the scattering process. Also allowed is A J = 0, but since such a transition implies zero change in energy it represents Raleigh scattering only. 

Numerous SERS studies of adsorbed molecules have appeared in the literature. Obviously, it is a useful method for the identification of species at the interface, and its inherent surface sensitivity is an attractive feature. In this context it should be noted that the adsorption of a molecule can change the selection rules for Raman scattering, and modes that are Raman inactive in the isolated molecule may show up in SERS. 

Unfortunately, the different selection rules that apply to resonant and normal Raman scattering were not taken into account in this spectral interpretation. In the following, it is shown that the conclusions and assignments mentioned above have to be modified on the basis of symmetry considerations as discussed by Ricchiardi et al. (41). 

Infrared, Raman, microwave, and double resonance techniques turn out to offer nicely complementary tools, which usually can and have to be complemented by quantum chemical calculations. In both experiment and theory, progress over the last 10 years has been enormous. The relationship between theory and experiment is symbiotic, as the elementary systems represent benchmarks for rigorous quantum treatments of clear-cut observables. Even the simplest cases such as methanol dimer still present challenges, which can only be met by high-level electron correlation and nuclear motion approaches in many dimensions. On the experimental side, infrared spectroscopy is most powerful for the O—H stretching dynamics, whereas double resonance techniques offer selectivity and Raman scattering profits from other selection rules. A few challenges for accurate theoretical treatments in this field are listed in Table I. 

Raman and IR spectroscopies are complementary to each other because of their different selection rules. Raman scattering occurs when the electric field of light induces a dipole moment by changing the polarizability of the molecules. In Raman spectroscopy the intensity of a band is linearly related to the concentration of the species. IR spectroscopy, on the other hand, requires an intrinsic dipole moment to exist for charge with molecular vibration. The concentration of the absorbing species is proportional to the logarithm of the ratio of the incident and transmitted intensities in the latter technique. 

Raman spectroscopy Is a form of vibrational spectroscopy which, like Infrared spectroscopy. Is sensitive to transitions between different vibrational energy levels in a molecule (1). It differs from Infrared spectroscopy In that Information Is derived from a light scattering rather than a direct absorption process. Furthermore, different selection rules govern the Intensity of the respective vibrational modes. Infrared absorptions are observed for vibrational modes which change the permanent dipole moment of the... 

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