What Is Handheld Raman Spectroscopy?

The ideal tool for raw material identification

Raman spectroscopy is an established vibrational technique that works by first exciting a sample with a laser. A small portion of this light undergoes “inelastic scatter” (also referred to as the Raman scatter or the Raman effect). The return signal is received and read by a detector, resulting in what is referred to as a Raman spectrum. The Raman spectrum contains a series of peaks that relate to features in the sample’s molecular structure. Each compound’s Raman spectrum is unique, and serves as a “chemical fingerprint” that can be used to identify an unknown compound, or a mixture of compounds. Onboard algorithms are used to match the sample’s spectral constituents to an extensive Raman spectral database to provide a positive identification of the sample.

Chemical detection systems based on handheld Raman spectroscopy are ideal tools for analyzing potentially hazardous samples, because unlike other handheld detection techniques, analysis can often be performed though packaging material, without disturbing the sample, which minimizes exposure to the operator. While handheld Raman-based chemical detectors have traditionally been developed using a 785 nm laser to excite the sample, this method is known to generate heavy fluorescence interference when trying to analyze colored materials.