Raman Spectroscopy of Solids
Raman spectroscopy is based on the inelastic scattering of light by matter and is capable of probing the structure of gases, liquids, and solids, both amorphous and crystalline. In addition to its applicability to most forms of matter, Raman spectroscopy has a number of other advantages. It can be used to analyze tiny quantities of material (e.g., particles that are ≤1 μm3 in dimension), as well as samples exposed to a variety of conditions such as high temperature and high pressure, and samples embedded in other phases, so long as the surrounding media are optically transparent. Succinctly stated, Raman scattering results from incident radiation inducing transitions in the atoms/molecules that make up the scattering medium. The transition can be rotational, vibrational, electronic, or a combination thereof. In most studies of solids by Raman spectroscopy, the transitions observed are vibrational and these will be the focus of this article