With Raman spectroscopy, laboratory technicians with very little training can measure, with an impressive degree of precision, the properties and other traits of solids, liquids and gases alike. Its potential uses have shown more and more potential in a growing number of industries. Understanding Raman SpectroscopyTouchRaman probes and various other devices that use Raman spectroscopy technology gather information about objects at the molecular scale. Usually, a coherent light is focused upon the subject material. The laser beam will refract uniquely in accordance with the material it lands on. Observing the scatter pattern makes it possible to identify the substance or substances being looked at, their level of density, and other attributes. The technique -- which is actually a series of different measuring approaches -- is named after the Raman effect, wherein electromagnetic waves collide with a molecule and interact with its bonds. In this case, a monochromatic wave of light is used, making it easier to interpret the end result. How It Is UsedChemistry is the field in which TouchRaman spectroscopy is most commonly applied because it collects its data from interacting with chemical bonds. However, its uses are wide-ranging. Pharmaceutical researchers use customized instruments like TouchRaman probes to identify active ingredients in medications, and what form those ingredients have at the molecular level. TouchRaman devices like these can also be useful in physics experiments to determine the crystalline structure of materials, as well as measure their temperature. Some TouchRaman probes can even compile data regarding corrosive materials that would ordinarily do damage to the measuring device. Spatially Offset Raman SpectroscopyAnother kind of Raman spectroscopy, known as "spatially offset Raman spectroscopy," is less sensitive to surface layers and can be utilized to, for instance, positively identify counterfeit medications without disturbing their containing packages. They can also be employed to monitor biological tissue, in some ways similar to an ultrasound. Experiments are under way to determine if different TouchRaman and similar instruments can be employed to find explosive materials at a distance, and even to ascertain whether individual cells in the body are cancerous, potentially making surgery considerably less risky and more precise, boosting favorable prognoses considerably. MicrospectroscopyRaman spectroscopy can be employed to examine minerals, cells, and forensics evidence on a microscopic level. Technicians can even utilize it to measure the amount of cholesterol or other substances in foods. CustomizationWhile manufacturers such as optical oxygen sensor sometimes sell premade TouchRaman and similar devices to government, academic and pharmaceutical organizations, those manufacturers are also capable of custom tailoring and building machines optimally attuned to the measurement and observation needs of the purchaser.