Incident circularly polarized Raman optical activity spectrometer based on circularity conversion method

A simple incident circular polarization Raman optical activity (ICP ROA) spectrometer was constructed by applying the method of circularity conversion. The circular polarization of the incident laser light was modulated between right and left by the insertion of a half‐wave plate and not by using a Pockels cell which is usually used in ICP ROA instruments. On the basis of the concept of the virtual enantiomer (Hug, W. Applied Spectroscopy, 2003, 57, 1), circularity converters were inserted in the optical train, which could effectively compensate the systematic offset. The new instrument successfully attained photon shot‐noise‐limited conditions for all bands except for the very strongly polarized Raman band. The ROA spectra of some standard chiral samples were measured to demonstrate the performance of the spectrometer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous acquisition of all four forms of circular polarization Raman optical activity: results for α‐pinene and lysozyme

A new circularly polarized (CP) Raman spectrometer is described that demonstrates simultaneous acquisition of all four forms of circular polarization Raman optical activity (ROA). The instrument is a design extension of a commercially available back scattering circular polarization (SCP) ROA spectrometer. Circular polarization of the incident beam is introduced with a quarter‐wave plate, and a half‐wave plate alternately positioned in and out of the beam controls the modulation between right circular polarization (RCP) or left circular polarization (LCP) states. Combining this modulation with the simultaneous detection of RCP and LCP scattered Raman radiation allows the measurement of incident circular polarization (ICP), SCP, in‐phase dual circular polarization(DCP_I) and out‐of‐phase DCP_II‐ROA. In addition, three different forms of backscattered Raman spectra, namely unpolarized, highly polarized, and depolarized Raman spectra, as well as a degree of circularity spectrum are obtained. The performance of the new all‐CP ROA spectrometer is evaluated with neat α‐pinene and aqueous hen lysozyme solution. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative analysis of sugar composition in honey using 532‐nm excitation Raman and Raman optical activity spectra

Raman spectroscopy based on the 1064‐nm laser excitation was suggested as a handy non‐invasive technique allowing to quickly determine sugar content in honey and similar food products. In the present study, the green 532‐nm laser radiation is explored instead as it provides higher‐quality spectra in a shorter time. The sample fluorescence was quenched by purification with activated carbon. For control mixture decomposition of Raman spectra to standard subspectra led to a typical error of the sugar content of 3%. Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra that could be measured at the shorter excitation wavelength as well provided a lower accuracy (~8%) than the Raman spectra because of instrumental sensitivity and noise limitations. The results show that Raman spectroscopy provides elegant and reliable means for fast analyses of sugar‐based food products. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The aqueous Raman optical activity spectra of 4(R)‐hydroxyproline: theory and experiment

Vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra have been measured for aqueous solutions of 4(R)‐hydroxyproline at three different pH values and are compared with theoretical results calculated for several conformations of anionic, cationic and zwitterionic 4(R)‐hydroxyproline using density functional theory (DFT) and the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The experimental ROA bands have been ascribed to the normal modes by comparison of the experimental and calculated vibrational frequencies and ROA intensities. Overall, using PCM for geometry optimization and force field calculations gives simulated Raman and ROA spectra that agree with the main features of the experimental spectra, whereas using PCM also in the calculations of optical tensors seems more problematic. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observation of resonance electronic and non‐resonance‐enhanced vibrational natural Raman optical activity

Natural resonance electronic Raman optical activity (ROA) is observed for the first time. Coincidently, the first example of vibrational ROA enhanced by low‐lying electronic transition is reported. These new phenomena were measured using the rare‐earth complex Eu(tfc)₃ (+)‐tris[3‐trifluoroacetyl‐D ‐camphorato]europium(III), where electronic resonance occurs between the 532‐nm laser excitation and the ⁷F₁ → ⁵D₁ transition of the Eu³⁺ metal center. Electronic Raman spectra involve the Raman transitions terminating on the low‐lying electronic states of Eu(tfc)₃. The observed vibrational ROA spectra are enhanced relative to typical ROA spectra by the proximity of vibrational states of Eu(tfc)₃ to its low‐lying electronic states with significant magnetic‐dipole character, whereas the parent vibrational Raman spectra do not appear to be resonance‐enhanced since the 532‐nm vibrational Raman spectrum has similar relative intensities to the corresponding Raman spectrum measured with 1064‐nm laser excitation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vibrational analysis of cinchona alkaloids in the solid state and aqueous solutions

Cinchona alkaloids are well‐known antimalarial compounds also used in asymmetric synthesis in organic chemistry. In this work, vibrational spectra of quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine were acquired and interpreted on the basis of theoretical calculations. Normal Raman spectra of the alkaloids in solution exhibit similar patterns and cannot be used for differentiation between the derivatives (e.g. quinine and cinchonidine) and corresponding pseudoenantiomers (e.g. quinine and quinidine). Thus, Raman Optical Activity (ROA) method was applied to show distinct differences related to the configuration of chiral atoms. ROA allowed unequivocal identification of the pseudoenantiomers based on the sign of the characteristic bands from a single measurement. The experiments were supported by the theoretical approach including conformational study followed by wavenumber calculations and Potential Energy Distribution (PED) analysis. For quinine, vibrational spectroscopy was additionally used to show its structural changes in aqueous solutions at various pH and its distribution in a pharmaceutical product. Spatial distribution of quinine in a drug was observed by the FT‐Raman mapping technique. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of Raman and Raman optical activity for the structural characterization of a therapeutic monoclonal antibody formulation subjected to heat stress

Structural complexity of biological drug products presents an analytical challenge in terms of early detection of aggregation and/or degradation. In the present study, Raman and Raman optical activity (ROA) were evaluated for their sensitivity to detect heat‐induced molecular instability in an Immunoglobulin G4 subclass therapeutic monoclonal antibody present in its formulation matrix. The therapeutic antibody was subjected to heat stress at 50 °C and was analyzed at various time points up to 1 month. The current results suggest that Raman and ROA are sensitive to early‐stage detection of heat‐induced instability of the antibody, in which significant changes could be observed at 1 week of stress. ROA could provide early detection of the subtle differences at the tertiary structure level in a heat‐stressed monoclonal antibody and Raman/ROA spectra could provide early detection in secondary structural changes as well. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wavelength‐dependent amplitude of Teflon Raman lines

Raman and other spectroscopy systems operating in the deep ultraviolet (DUV) spectral region below 250 nm lack scattering standards. Such standards are particularly important for experiments that use multiwavelength excitation and/or when results are compared across different experiment platforms. Teflon has been used as an external standard in the visible and near‐IR spectral regions and has been suggested for use in the ultraviolet (UV). Comparison of the relative amplitudes of prominent Teflon Raman lines indicates a significant effect on line ratios when the excitation wavelength is below 250 nm. This dependence on excitation wavelength has been commented on previously and attributed to pre‐resonance effects, but no detailed examination had been undertaken to date. We present the results of a study of Teflon Raman line ratios obtained from closely spaced excitation wavelengths in the DUV from 210 to 320 nm. The 731 cm⁻¹ line is identified as well suited for a standard. Electronic transition energies associated with resonance of principal Teflon Raman lines are obtained. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman optical activity of an achiral element in a chiral environment

Raman optical activity (ROA) is a relatively new technique used to determine the structure of chiral molecules and is proving useful in the study of biological molecules such as proteins and DNA/RNA. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the applicability of ROA as a technique to study achiral groups in chiral environments, detecting the induced chirality of N‐(fluorenyl‐9‐methoxycarbonyl) (Fmoc) in a chiral self‐assembled structure of Fmoc‐dipeptides. This technique is therefore of interest to those studying self‐assembled systems that adopt a chiral structure. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polarization‐resolved high‐resolution Raman spectroscopy with a light‐emitting diode

We demonstrate the use of a light‐emitting diode (LED) based experimental setup for collecting polarization‐resolved Raman spectra with good spectral resolution. The combination of a commercial red LED (630 nm), a 1‐nm bandwidth laser‐line filter, and a polarizing prism is used as a light source. Polarization‐resolved spectra in dimethyl sulfoxide are recorded and compared with the corresponding laser‐Raman spectra. The LED‐excited spectra exhibit a resolution slightly lower than those in the laser case but still close to the resolution of the spectrometer. All relevant spectral features of dimethyl sulfoxide including the symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of the CSC moiety are resolved with the experimental setup providing a spectral resolution of approximately 20 cm⁻¹. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ analysis of chiral components of pichtae essential oil by means of ROA spectroscopy: experimental and theoretical Raman and ROA spectra of bornyl acetate

In this paper, a novel approach to analyze in situ (−)‐bornyl acetate (BA) in pichtae essential oil (Siberian fir needle oil, Abies sibirica oil) by means of Raman optical activity (ROA) is reported. As part of this approach, a conformational study in the gas phase of (+)‐ and (−)‐BA has been carried out, predicting the presence of three conformers for each enantiomer at 298.15 K. The structures of these conformers were optimized with density functional theory with the Becke 3LYP functional and 6–311 + + g** basis set. Subsequently, the Raman and ROA spectra were simulated in order to compare them with the experimentally measured spectra of the neat enantiomers of BA. Finally, the combination of Raman and ROA spectroscopy as well as DFT calculations was successfully applied not only for the detection of BA but also for the determination of the specific enantiomer of BA present in the investigated pichtae essential oil samples. Thus, the ROA technique described here has the potential to be used as a fast and easy commercial method to control the quality of essential oils. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman spectroscopy at different excitation wavelengths (1064, 785 and 532 nm) as a tool for diagnosis of colon cancer

Raman spectroscopy is structure sensitive non‐destructive method that allows observing the status of biological tissues with minimal impact. This method has a great potential in the diagnosis of various types of degenerative diseases including cancer damages. Near‐infrared Fourier transform (NIR‐FT)‐Raman (λ_ex ~1064 nm), NIR‐visible (Vis)‐Raman (λ_ex ~785 nm) and Vis‐Raman (λ_ex ~532 nm) spectra of normal and colorectal carcinoma colon tissue samples were recorded in macroscopic mode at 10–20 randomly chosen independent sites. In the cases of NIR‐Vis‐ and Vis‐Raman spectra, enhanced resonance effects were observed for tissue chromophores absorbing in the visible area. Evident spectral differences were noticed for Raman spectra of normal colon tissue samples in comparison with abnormal samples. The average Raman spectra of colon tissue samples were analysed by principal component analysis (PCA) to discriminate normal and abnormal tissues. PCA of combined dataset containing Raman intensities of chosen NIR‐FT, NIR‐Vis or Vis‐Raman bands led to discrimination of normal and abnormal colon tissue samples. Therefore, combination of these three Raman methods can be helpful for recognizing cancer lesions in colon for diagnostic purposes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bisignate resonance Raman optical activity: a pseudo breakdown of the single electronic state model of RROA?

Raman optical activity (ROA) spectra were calculated for a set of conformers of astaxanthin, which is a non‐rigid molecule exhibiting strong resonance enhancement in the visible range. Single electronic state theory of the Resonance ROA (RROA) predicts the spectrum to be monosigned. For astaxanthin, it appeared that some of the conformers exhibit different sign of the bands than the other conformers. As a result, the conformer population averaged spectrum of astaxanthin can exhibit both signs of the bands, or be monosigned depending on which conformers are dominating, that reflects a departure from the single electronic state approximation. Moreover, use of different basis sets and/or density functional theory (DFT) functionals results in different conformer populations, thus yielding again either monosigned ROA spectrum or with bands of both signs. Consequences of these two findings for the astaxanthin RROA spectrum are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurement and calculation of the Q‐branch spectrum of nitrogen using inverse Raman spectroscopy and cw Raman‐induced polarization spectroscopy

The techniques of inverse Raman spectroscopy, Raman‐induced polarization spectroscopy (RIPS), and optical heterodyne RIPS (OHD‐RIPS) are compared by probing the Q‐branch of the nitrogen molecule. The signal is measured employing either a photomultiplier tube (low background level–RIPS) or a photodetector (high background level–IRS and OHD‐RIPS). The measurements are performed using atmospheric mixtures of N₂ Ar with concentrations varying from 0 to 79% N₂. This strategy permits estimation of detection limits using the different techniques. Pump and probe energy levels are varied independently to study signal dependence on laser irradiance. A theoretical treatment is presented on the basis of the Raman susceptibility equations, which permits the calculation of spectra for all three techniques. Calculated Q‐branch spectra are compared with the measured spectra for the interactions of a linearly polarized probe beam with a linearly or circularly polarized pump beam. The polarizer angle in the detection path for OHD‐RIPS has a dramatic effect on the shape of the spectrum. The calculated and experimental OHD‐RIPS spectra are in good agreement over the entire range of investigated polarizer angles. Detection limits using these techniques are analyzed to suggest their applicability for measuring other species of importance in combustion and plasma systems. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Room‐temperature photoluminescence in quasi‐2D TlGaSe2 and TlInS2semiconductors

We reveal the intrinsic band‐to‐band photoluminescence (PL) in Tl‐based anisotropic semiconductors by means of confocal spectroscopy. The PL achieves largest value for k ⊥ c , where c is the layers stacking axis, and is dependent on polarization. In TlGaSe₂, the band edge absorption spectra were determined at different excitation geometry by using techniques of depth‐resolved free‐carrier absorption (FCA) and photoacoustic response (PAR). A strong absorption enhancement is detected in a large spectral area in the near‐surface region lateral to ab plane. The band‐to‐band absorption enhancement is the most probable cause for high PL intensity. The near‐surface behavior, different from the bulk, might implement useful photonic functionality at room temperature (RT). (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Deep‐UV tip‐enhanced Raman scattering

We report for the first time the tip‐enhancement of resonance Raman scattering using deep ultraviolet (DUV) excitation wavelength. The tip‐enhancement was successfully demonstrated with an aluminum‐coated silicon tip that acts as a plasmonic material in DUV wavelengths. Both the crystal violet and adenine molecules, which were used as test samples, show electronic resonance at the 266‐nm excitation used in the experiments. With results demonstrated here, molecular analysis and imaging with nanoscale spatial resolution in DUV resonance Raman spectroscopy can be realized using the tip‐enhancement effect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of both fingerprint and high wavenumber Raman spectroscopy of pathological nasopharyngeal tissues

High wavenumber (HW) Raman spectroscopy has weaker fluorescence background compared with fingerprint (FP) region. This study aims to evaluate the discrimination feasibility of nasopharyngeal non‐cancerous and nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) tissue with both FP and HW Raman spectroscopy. HW Raman spectra of nasopharyngeal tissue were obtained for the first time. Raman spectra were collected to differentiate nasopharyngeal non‐cancerous (n = 37) from NPC (n = 41) tissues in FP (800–1800cm⁻¹), HW (2700–3100cm⁻¹), and integrated FP/HW region. First, to assess the utility of this method, the averaged Raman spectral intensities and intensity ratios of corresponding Raman bands were analyzed in HW and FP regions, respectively. The results show that intensities as well as the ratios of specific Raman peaks might be helpful in distinguishing nasopharyngeal non‐cancerous from NPC tissue with the HW Raman spectroscopy, as with FP Raman reported before. The multivariate statistical method based on the combination of principal component analysis–liner discriminant analysis (PCA‐LDA), together with leave‐one‐patient‐out, cross‐validation diagnostic algorithm, was used for discriminating nasopharyngeal non‐cancerous from NPC tissue, generating sensitivities of 87.8%, 85.4%, and 95.1% and specificities of 86.5%, 91.9%, and 89.2%, respectively, with Raman spectroscopy in the FP, HW, and integrated FP/HW regions. The posterior probability of classification results and receiver operating characteristic curves were utilized to evaluate the discrimination of PCA‐LDA algorithm, verifying that HW Raman spectroscopy has a positive effect on the differentiation for the diagnosis of NPC tissue by integrated FP/HW Raman spectroscopy. What's more, the potential of Raman spectroscopy used for differentiating different pathology NPC tissues was also discussed. The results demonstrate that both FP and HW Raman spectroscopy have the potential for diagnosis and detection in early nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and HW Raman spectroscopy may improve the discrimination of NPC tissue compared with FP region alone, providing a promising diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of NPC tissue. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Discrimination of carotenoid and flavonoid content in petals of pansy cultivars (Viola x wittrockiana) by FT‐Raman spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Raman spectroscopy (FT‐Raman) has been applied for the non‐destructive in‐situ analysis of pigments on differently colored flower petals of pansy cultivars (Viola x wittrockiana). The main target of the present study was to investigate how far the Raman mapping technique through FT‐Raman spectroscopy and cluster analysis of the Raman spectra is a potential method for the direct, in‐situ discrimination of flavonoids (flavonols against anthocyanins) and of carotenoids occurring in flowers, using intact and differently colored flower petal of Viola x wittrockiana for this case study. In order to get more information about the reliability of the direct in‐situ flavonoid detection by the Raman method, pigments extracts of the petals were separated by thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) and investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of the Raman spectra from reference pigments (carotenoids, anthocyanins and flavonols), from areas of the flower petals, and from the TLC extracts allowed discriminating the various pigments, in particular flavonoids (flavonols against anthocyanins) and carotenoids. With a two‐dimensional Raman mapping technique, which provides a chemical image of the sample under investigation, we determined by cluster analysis the distribution of carotenoids, anthocyanins and flavonols from the outer layer of the petals, and by integrating through suitable spectral regions selected as characteristic markers for particular pigments their relative concentration could approximately be determined. We found a satisfactory correlation between the patterns seen on the visible images and the patterns on the chemical images obtained by Raman mapping. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Charge disturbance/excitation in the Raman virtual state revealed by ROA signal: A case study of pinane

The Raman mode intensities are used to extract the bond polarizabilities which are the indication of the charge disturbance/excitation of the Raman virtual state. A classical formula based on the electric and magnetic dipolar coupling among the charges on the atoms is developed which relates the charges and vibrational amplitudes of the atoms in a normal mode to the Raman optical activity(ROA) mode signatures. By fitting with the experimental ROA signatures, we are able to elucidate the scaling parameter which relates the bond polarizability to the electric charge. The result shows that around40% of the charges in pinane are involved in the Raman process under 532 nm laser excitation.     

光源偏振对水体颗粒后向散射系数测量的影响

颗粒后向散射系数是水体主要的固有光学特性,也是海洋水色的决定因子和海洋水色卫星遥感反演的基础参数。当前,利用光学仪器现场原位测量是获取水体颗粒后向散射系数的主要方法。由于光源自身和仪器光路中镜面反射和折射,其出射光源可能存在一定的偏振,进而会影响水体后向散射系数测量的精度。目前,关于水体后向散射系数测量仪器的光源偏振性及其对颗粒后散射系数测量精度影响的研究尚为空白。针对该问题,以应用广泛的水体后向散射测量仪HydroScat6(HS-6)为例,对其出射光源的偏振特性进行了系统测量,并进一步开展了光源偏振对水体颗粒后向散射系数测量精度影响的实验研究。结果表明,HS-6六个光学通道除590 nm通道出射光源偏振度略低外(~15%),其他通道出射光源中心波长偏振度均在20%~30%。因此,HS-6出射光源具有显著的偏振特性。光源偏振对颗粒后向散射系数测量具有不可忽略的影响,且影响程度随着波段,线偏振角度及悬浮泥沙浓度而变化。不同悬浮泥沙浓度下,光源偏振引起的420,442,470,510,590和670 nm六个波段的平均偏差可达15.49%,11.27%,12.79%,14.43%,13.76%,12.46%。因此,利用光学仪器现场测量颗粒后向散射系数需要考虑光源偏振的影响,并需尽可能降低出射光源的偏振度。