Raman spectroscopy sampling

Sample preparation is straightforward for a scattering process such as Raman spectroscopy. Sample containers can be of glass or quartz, which are weak Raman scatterers, and aqueous solutions pose no problems. Raman microprobes have a spatial resolution of - 1 //m, much better than the diffraction limit imposed on ir microscopes (213). Eiber-optic probes can be used in process monitoring (214). 

Minimal sample preparation is involved in Raman spectroscopy samples as thin as a monolayer can be examined. 

The future of Raman microspectroscopy is probably imaging and optical near-field nano-Raman spectroscopy [529], cfr. Chp. 5.5.2. While conventional laser Raman spectroscopy samples 10 g (mm ), /zRS handles 10 g (nm ) and near-field Raman spectroscopy 10 g (nm ). Mobile Raman microscopy (MRM) allows in situ Raman analysis [530]. One can expect further developments in the field of NIR multichannel Raman spectroscopy with the advent of 2D array detectors offering extended response in the NIR. With these 2D sensors it wiU become possible to apply in the NIR region the powerful techniques already developed in the visible, such as confocal line imaging techniques or multisite remote analysis with optical fibres. 

One of the well known advantages of resonance Raman spectroscopy is that samples dissolved in water can be studied since water is transparent in the visible region. Furthennore, many molecules of biophysical interest assume their native state in water. For this reason, resonance Raman spectroscopy has been particularly strongly embraced in the biophysical connnunity. 

The incident radiation should be highly monochromatic for the Raman effect to be observed clearly and, because Raman scattering is so weak, it should be very intense. This is particularly important when, as in rotational Raman spectroscopy, the sample is in the gas phase. 

In FT-Raman spectroscopy the radiation emerging from the sample contains not only the Raman scattering but also the extremely intense laser radiation used to produce it. If this were allowed to contribute to the interferogram, before Fourier transformation, the corresponding cosine wave would overwhelm those due to the Raman scattering. To avoid this, a sharp cut-off (interference) filter is inserted after the sample cell to remove 1064 nm (and lower wavelength) radiation. 

Stimulated Raman spectroscopy is experimentally different from normal Raman spectroscopy in that the scattering is observed in the forward direction, emerging from the sample in the same direction as that of the emerging exciting radiation, or at a very small angle to it. 

Fluorescence Interference. The historical drawback to widespread use of Raman spectroscopy has been the strong fluorescence background exhibited by many materials, even those which are nominally nonfluorescent. This fluorescence often arises from an impurity in the sample, but may be intrinsic to the material being studied. Several methods have proved useflil in reducing this background. One of the simplest is sample purification. 

The ease of sample handling makes Raman spectroscopy increasingly preferred. Like infrared spectroscopy, Raman scattering can be used to identify functional groups commonly found in polymers, including aromaticity, double bonds, and C bond H stretches. More commonly, the Raman spectmm is used to characterize the degree of crystallinity or the orientation of the polymer chains in such stmctures as tubes, fibers (qv), sheets, powders, and films... 

Ideally, a mass spectmm contains a molecular ion, corresponding to the molecular mass of the analyte, as well as stmcturaHy significant fragment ions which allow either the direct deterrnination of stmcture or a comparison to Hbraries of spectra of known compounds. Mass spectrometry (ms) is unique in its abiUty to determine direcdy the molecular mass of a sample. Other techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr) and infrared spectroscopy give stmctural information from which the molecular mass may be inferred (see Infrared technology and raman spectroscopy Magnetic spin resonance). 

MOLE, however, is more sensitive than ETIR (<1 samples compared to about 100 p.m ). With surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy the Raman signal is enhanced by several orders of magnitude. This requires that the sample be absorbed on a metal surface (eg, Ag, Cu, or Au). It also yields sophisticated characterization data for the polytypes of siUcon carbide, graphite, etc. 

Instrumental Interface. Gc/fdr instmmentation has developed around two different types of interfacing. The most common is the on-the-fly or flow cell interface in which gc effluent is dkected into a gold-coated cell or light pipe where the sample is subjected to infrared radiation (see Infrared and raman spectroscopy). Infrared transparent windows, usually made of potassium bromide, are fastened to the ends of the flow cell and the radiation is then dkected to a detector having a very fast response-time. In this light pipe type of interface, infrared spectra are generated by ratioing reference scans obtained when only carrier gas is in the cell to sample scans when a gc peak appears. 

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