A penetrating Raman probe with self‐referencing capability

Abstract

A penetrating Raman probe having a hypodermic needle probe head is desirable for measurements inside soft materials. The Raman probe reported in this paper not only is designed for penetration but also provides for self‐referencing. This is a significant advantage, because the measurement of Raman intensity relative to some standard is not always feasible with conventional probes. In the Raman probe described here, this capability is realized through the use of a c‐axis single‐crystal sapphire fiber as an interface between the probe body and the sample. As an illustration of how this probe can be put to use, the Raman spectrum from the interior of porcine fat has been obtained. Situations where this probe may be the preferred choice include subcutaneous and subterranean measurements as well as forensic investigations. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.