This book describes a simple yet innovative method for performing Raman spectroscopy of samples submerged under liquid nitrogen. While Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a powerful tool for the characterization of the structure of matter in the gaseous, liquid, and solid phases, one major difficulty in its application has been laser damage to the material under investigation, especially for biological samples. This book demonstrates how immersion of the sample in liquid nitrogen protects the sample from thermal degradation and oxidation at high incident laser power and allows improvements in sensitivity and spectral resolution over room-temperature Raman spectroscopy, leading to the so-called RUN (Raman Spectroscopy Under liquid Nitrogen) technique. Cooling to liquid nitrogen temperature also allows the selection of the lowest energy molecular conformation for molecules which may have many low energy conformers. In addition, the presence of liquid nitrogen over a roughened surface improves the sensitivity of Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), enabling the closely related SERSUN (Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Under liquid Nitrogen) technique. This book starts with the theoretical and experimental basics of Raman and polarized Raman spectroscopy, before moving on to detailed descriptions of RUN and SERSUN. Room temperature and RUN spectra are provided for over fifty molecules.

The Raman effect is a most useful tool for the study of molecular vibrations and molecular structure. Information about the structure and symmetry of molecules, as well as about their vibrational energies can be obtained to a reasonable degree of satisfaction from their infrared and Raman vibrational spectra. The body of knowl edqe of the vibrational infrared and Raman spectra of molecules is immense and is now so well organized and understood that it is found to be represented in any stan dard upper level undergraduate curriculum in chemistry. The rotational energies of a molecule and quantitative details about its structure can only be obtained through the techniques of microwave, and high-resolution infrared and Raman spectroscopy of low pressure gases and vapors. The results of such investigations are of interest . not only to the academic scientists, but also to scientists and engineers who are active in applied fields of chemistry and physics, as well as the atmospheric sciences. This book deals with basic investigations of the Raman scattering of light by gases, with some attention also being given to liquid substances. After a brief in troductory chapter that delineates the historical development of Raman spectroscopy of gases, high-resolution rotation-vibrational and pure rotational Raman spectros copy is described in Chapters 2 and 3. The all-important intensity parameter, the Raman scattering cross section, is treated in Chapter 4, while the broadening of Raman lines due to the effects of intermolecular forces is taken up in Chapter 5.

This book provides a collection of experiments to introduce lasers into the undergraduate curricula in Chemistry and Physics. A variety of experiments are included with different levels of complexity. All have background information, experimental details and the theoretical background necessary to interpret the results.

Quite a few excellent books about vibrational spectroscopy have already been published. So why write a new one? The last years have seen the birth of new techniques and, first of all, a wealth of new applications. Therefore, a lot of new users need an introduction to these techniques and applications, but, if they are new to vibrational spectroscopy, an introduction to the parent techniques as well. Vibrational spectroscopies can detect and analyze vibrations in molecules. Mainly two different forms are used today: Infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Vibrational spectroscopy is used by chemists to characterize their substances. If the spectra of substances are known, analytical chemists can use them to analyze a mixture of chemicals. Samples may be analyzed even with spatial resolution, on the microscopic as well as on the macroscopic scale. "Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy" is intended for researchers or lecturers in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science and Life Sciences, who are interested in the composition and properties of their samples. It describes how vibrational spectroscopy will enable them to examine thin layers, surfaces and interfaces, and also improve their knowledge about the properties of composites. Special chapters introduce VCD, ROA, and TERS. The book can serve as a short introduction to vibrational spectroscopy too, so that students at the first graduate level will benefit from it as well.

This volume sets out to draw together the essential expertise which will provide a technical guide to the practice of Raman spectroscopy. The text deals exc1usively with spontaneous Raman spectroscopy and inc1udes some aspects of Resonance Raman spectroscopy. Chapter I sets out the essential theoretical framework using a simple c1assical approach and deals with the rudiments of polarizability. Many of these theoretical points are further developed in Chap. 2 where the scattering and polarization consequences of various sampling geometries and collection optics, on gaseous, liquid, single crystal and thin film methods are detailed. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the wide variety of hardware now available to the Raman spectroscopist are discussed in Chap. 3. Important calibration data is pr. esented in Chap. 4 along with an account of datä analysis techniques, inc1uding signal enhancement methods. Chapter 5 describes some of the techniques and cell designs that have been successfully used to study sampies under extreme conditions and Chap. 6 deals with the rapidly growing technique of Raman microscopy, providing a wide range of application examples and experimental advice. We recognise the difficulty in covering all aspects of Raman spectroscopy in a single volume and a section on further reading, representing what we feel are amongst the more informative references, at the time of publication, is provided for additional detail. Our hope is that Practical Raman Spectroscopy will help to provide a source of on-hand technical support and data for the practising Raman spectroscopist in the laboratory.

Introduction to Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy focuses on the theoretical and experimental aspects of infrared and Raman spectroscopy, with emphasis on detailed group frequency correlations and their vibrational origin. Topics covered include vibrational and rotational spectra, molecular symmetry, methyl and methylene groups, triple bonds and cumulated double bonds, and olefin groups. Aromatic and heteroaromatic rings are also considered, along with carbonyl compounds and molecular vibrations. This book is comprised of 14 chapters and begins with a discussion on the use of Raman and infrared spectroscopy to study the vibrational and rotational frequencies of molecules, paying particular attention to photon energy and degrees of freedom of molecular motion. The quantum mechanical harmonic oscillator and the anharmonic oscillator are described. The next chapter focuses on the experimental techniques and instrumentation needed to measure infrared absorption spectra and Raman spectra. Symmetry is then discussed from the standpoint of the spectroscopist. The following chapters explore the vibrational origin of group frequencies, with an emphasis on mechanical effects; spectra-structure correlations; and the spectra of compounds such as ethers, alcohols, and phenols. The final chapter demonstrates how the frequencies and forms of a nonlinear molecule's normal modes of vibration may be calculated mathematically. This monograph will be a useful resource for spectroscopists and physical scientists.

The concept of this book - an integrated and comprehensive cov erage of all aspects of Raman spectroscopy by a group of specialist- took form nearly three years ago. It made a giant stride toward realiza tion when Dr. L. Woodward, whose outstanding work in this field had long been known to me, agreed to write an introductory chapter and made valuable suggestions concerning others who might be invited to contribute articles. However, many obstacles had to be overcome before this book finally became a reality. It is extremely difficult to prepare a multi author review of the state of knowledge in a rapidly growing field in such a way that all aspects are brought up to the same date. In our case, some workers who had originally agreed to contribute articles were forced to withdraw under the pressure of new commitments, and replacements had to be found. Others were unable to complete their contributions by the deadline date, so that the publication of the book had to be rescheduled. All this tended to work to the detriment of those authors who prepared their chapters as originally scheduled. An effort was made to give the authors most affected by this an opportunity to revise their papers, but of course an arbitrary cutoff date had to be set to avoid an endless spiral of revision and updating.