Raman spectroscopy is a measurement tool that has made its way into many new industries and shown a lot of promise in many types of scientific experiments. How It WorksHighly sensitive Raman measurement tools gather information about objects at the micron scale. Typically, a laser is focused upon the subject material. The laser beam will refract in a unique pattern in accordance with the substance it lands on. Observing the scatter pattern makes it possible to identify the substance or substances being looked at, their degree of concentration, and other attributes. The technique -- which is actually a series of different measurement approaches -- is named after the Raman effect, wherein electromagnetic waves are directed at a molecule and affect its bonds. To start out with, a predictable wave of light is employed, making it possible to interpret the end result. How It Is UsedTouchRaman spectroscopy is most often used in chemistry because it collects its information from reacting to chemical bonds. However, its uses are wide-ranging. In the pharmaceutical field, specialized instruments like TouchRaman probes are utilized to measure active ingredients in drugs, and the form those ingredients take at the molecular scale. TouchRaman devices like these can also be valuable in physics to determine the molecular structure of materials, as well as measure their temperature. Some TouchRaman probes can even collect details about corrosive materials that would normally damage the measuring tool. Spatially Offset Raman SpectroscopyAnother kind of Raman spectroscopy, called "spatially offset Raman spectroscopy," is capable of "seeing" past surface layers and can be employed to, for example, identify counterfeit drugs without opening their containers. They can also be used to monitor biological tissue, like an ultrasound. Experiments are under way to determine whether different TouchRaman and similar instruments can be used to identify the presence of explosive materials from a distance, and even to test whether individual living cells are cancerous, potentially making surgery much safer and more precise, boosting favorable prognoses considerably. MicrospectroscopyRaman spectroscopy can be used to examine minerals, cells, and forensics evidence on a microscopic level. Technicians can even use it to analyze the level of cholesterol or other substances in foodstuffs. CustomizationWhile manufacturers such as raman microspectroscopy sometimes sell premade TouchRaman and similar instruments to pharmaceutical, academic and government laboratories, those manufacturers are also able to specialize and construct devices optimally suited to the measurement and observation requirements of the purchaser.
