Avalon Instuments - Raman FAQs

Avalon Instuments - Raman FAQs: "What is Raman?
A technique which uses a laser to identify the chemical composition of almost anything.
click here for more details

Can Raman work on... solids..liquid... etc.?
Raman spectra can be obtained from molecular samples, i.e. solids, liquids, gels, slurries, powders, etc.

Raman spectra can even be obtained from some metals! It is possible to obtain Raman spectra of gases but this typically requires specialist equipment.

What does a Raman spectrum look like?
A series of peaks, very like a FT-IR transmission spectrum. Here is an example of a Raman Spectrum, in this case o-, m- & p-xylene, this spectrum is of 33% p-xylene, 33% o-xylene, 33% m-xylene in a glass bottle.

raman spectrum

Can I do Raman spectroscopy on mixtures?
Yes, see the Raman spectrum above.

A Raman spectrum is a spectral “finger print”. If there are a number of different compounds in a mixture, the Raman spectrum will be a superposition of the spectra of each of the components.

The relative intensities of the peaks can be used to give quantitative information on the composition of a mixture of known compounds. If the identity of the components is not known, simple software-based protocols can be used to identify them even if the spectra are too complex to resolve by the naked eye.

Is Raman q"