Raman spectroscopy is a technique that is based on the scattering of light and has been widely applied in many branches of science. In chemistry, it is a powerful tool for determining the structure of molecules – Raman peaks are like a fingerprint for each compound. Although Raman and infrared spectroscopy have often been compared, the two methods differ significantly in their underlying theories and spectral behavior. They are often used in combination for more reliable structural analysis.
Raman spectroscopy has been particularly useful in the study of nanoparticles and in determining their properties. Applications include:
- Identification and separation of organic and inorganic compounds and determination of chemical structure.
- Defining boundary conditions for electric fields near surfaces.
- Analyzing nanoparticles of some organic molecules and carbon nanotubes.
- Determining the diameters of carbon structures and different inorganic nanoparticles.
- Measuring carbon chirality (chirality is the situation in which a carbon atom is bonded to four different groups).
- Characterizing Nanomaterials and Various Allotropes of Carbon
