Raman spectroscopy is a technique that has shown a lot of potential in a great deal of new fields and shown a lot of promise in all kinds of scientific topics. Understanding the TechnologyTouchRaman probes and other tools that use Raman spectroscopy technology gather information about elements at the micron level. Usually, a coherent light is focused upon the subject material. The laser beam will refract uniquely in accordance with the material it hits. Observing the scatter enables scientists to identify the substance or substances being observed, their level of density, and other properties. The technique -- which is actually a collection of closely related measurement strategies -- is named after the Raman effect, which is where electromagnetic waves collide with a molecule and affect its bonds. To start out with, a coherent wave of light is used, making it possible to interpret the outcome. ApplicationsThe most common application of TouchRaman spectroscopy is in the field of chemistry because it collects its information from reacting to chemical bonds. However, its applicability is wide-ranging. Pharmaceutical researchers use custom devices like TouchRaman probes to identify active ingredients in drugs, and which form those ingredients take at the molecular level. TouchRaman instruments like these can also be valuable in physics experiments to determine the crystalline structure of substances, as well as measure their temperature. Some TouchRaman probes are even able to gather information about caustic substances that would normally damage the measuring instrument. Spatially Offset Raman SpectroscopyAnother type of Raman spectroscopy, called "spatially offset Raman spectroscopy," is able to "see" past surface layers and can be applied to, for instance, notice counterfeit drugs without opening their containers. They can also be employed to track changes in biological tissue, like an ultrasound. Research projects are in progress to determine if different TouchRaman and similar devices can be employed to find explosive substances at a distance, and even to test whether individual living cells are cancerous, potentially making surgery substantially less dangerous and more precise, boosting favorable prognoses considerably. MicrospectroscopyRaman spectroscopy can be employed to examine minerals, proteins, and forensics evidence on a microscopic level. Scientists can even utilize it to analyze the level of cholesterol or other substances in foods. CustomizationWhile manufacturers such as raman spectrometry sometimes sell premade TouchRaman and similar tools to pharmaceutical, academic and government laboratories, those manufacturers are also capable of customizing and constructing tools perfectly attuned to the measurement and observation requirements of the purchaser.
