Molecular orientation analysis of organic thin films by z‐polarization Raman microscope

Polarization‐dependent Raman microscopy is a powerful technique to perform both structural and chemical analyses with submicron spatial resolution. In conventional Raman microscopy, the polarization measurements are limited only in the direction parallel to the sample plane. In this work, we overcome the limit of conventional measurements by controlling the incident polarization by a spatially modulated waveplate. In this method, the polarization perpendicular to the sample surface (z‐polarization) can be detected together with the parallel polarization (xy‐polarization). Because of this unique polarization control, our Raman microscope has the ability to image the molecular orientation, together with the molecular analysis. Here, we have investigated thin films of pentacene molecules that are widely studied as an organic semiconductor material. The orientations of pentacene molecules are imaged with a spatial resolution of 300 nm. Our results clearly indicate that the lamellar grains show the lower tilt angles compared to the neighboring islands, which has not been proved in conventional methods. The substrate effects and the thickness dependence of the film are also studied. These results provide knowledge about the relationship between the devise performance and the film structures, which is indispensable for future device exploitations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman micro‐spectroscopy for quantitative thickness measurement of nanometer thin polymer films

The sensitivity of far‐field Raman micro‐spectroscopy was investigated to determine quantitatively the actual thickness of organic thin films. It is shown that the thickness of organic films can be quantitatively determined down to 3 nm with an error margin of 20% and down to 1.5 nm with an error margin of 100%. Raman imaging of thin‐film surfaces with a far‐field optical microscope establishes the distribution of a polymer with a lateral resolution of ~400 nm and the homogeneity of the film. Raman images are presented for spin‐coated thin films of polysulfone (PSU) with average thicknesses between 3 and 50 nm. In films with an average thickness of 43 nm, the variation in thickness was around 5% for PSU. In films with an average thickness of 3 nm for PSU, the detected thickness variation was 100%. Raman imaging was performed in minutes for a surface area of 900 µm². The results illustrate the ability of far‐field Raman microscopy as a sensitive method to quantitatively determine the thickness of thin films down to the nanometer range. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subdiffraction‐limited chemical imaging of patterned phthalocyanine films using tip‐enhanced near‐field optical microscopy

A tip‐enhanced near‐field optical microscope, based on a shear‐force atomic force microscope with plasmonic tip coupled to an inverted, confocal optical microscope, has been constructed for nanoscale chemical (Raman) imaging of surfaces. The design and validation of the instrument, along with its application to near‐field Raman mapping of patterned organic thin films (coumarin‐6 and Cu(II) phthalocyanine), are described. Lateral resolution of the instrument is estimated at 50 nm (better than λ/10), which is roughly dictated by the size of the plasmonic tip apex. Additional observations, such as the distance scaling of Raman enhancement and the inelastic scattering background generated by the plasmonic tip, are presented. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐invasive depth profiling by space and time‐resolved Raman spectroscopy

Time‐resolved Raman spectroscopy, spatially offset Raman spectroscopy and time‐resolved spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (TR‐SORS) have proven their capability for the non‐invasive profiling of deep layers of a sample. Recent studies have indicated that TR‐SORS exhibits an enhanced selectivity toward the deep layers of a sample. However, the enhanced depth profiling efficiency of TR‐SORS, in comparison with time‐resolved Raman spectroscopy and spatially offset Raman spectroscopy, is yet to be assessed and explained in accordance to the synergistic effects of spatial and temporal resolutions. This study provides a critical investigation of the depth profiling efficiency of the three deep Raman techniques. The study compares the efficiency of the various deep Raman spectroscopy techniques for the stand‐off detection of explosive precursors hidden in highly fluorescing packaging. The study explains for the first time the synergistic effects of spatial and temporal resolutions in the deep Raman techniques and their impact on the acquired spectral data. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman spectroscopy as a probe of molecular order,orientation, and stacking of fluorinated copper‐phthalocyanine (F16CuPc) thin films

We report Raman scattering measurements on azimuthally ordered thin films of F₁₆CuPc, prepared by organic molecular beam deposition on A‐plane sapphire substrates. The observed peak frequencies have been compared both to the results of a model calculation for the vibrational modes of the free molecule and to those reported by other authors in related materials. This analysis provides a plausible identification of the modes responsible for the strongest spectral features. Detailed evaluation of the spectra reveals that some observed modes, which correspond to vibrations of the macrocycle inner ring, largely retain the intramolecular character and their polarisation properties can be used to study the orientation and stacking configuration of the molecules. We provide structural parameters deduced either in molecular or crystal symmetry considering the simpler possibilities, i.e. a single column molecular stacking and a herringbone‐like structure. The results suggest that the thicker and most ordered film is structurally close to the recently reported crystal organisation of bulk ribbon samples of this compound. The crystalline quality of the ordered films is mainly reflected in some other Raman peaks which are related to the motion of peripheral atoms and dominate the high wavenumber part of the spectra. These modes are affected by intermolecular interactions inducing Davydov splittings that are unequivocally identified by the observed Raman selection rules. The performed analysis also provides quantitative estimates of the degree of in‐plane ordering. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman polarization studies of highly oriented organic thin films

In this work we report on the capability of polarized Raman spectroscopy to investigate the structure of thin organic films. Diindenoperylene (DIP) thin films on (1 × 1)‐rutile(110) were prepared via organic molecular beam deposition (OMBD). Raman spectra of DIP thin films showed several strong Raman modes in the wavenumber region from 1200 to 1650 cm⁻¹. The A_g mode at 1284 cm⁻¹ shows two contributions, thereby indicating the coexistence of at least two DIP film structures. Polarized Raman spectroscopy was applied to characterize the molecular orientation and the dominance of the σ‐configuration (i.e. upright standing DIP molecules) was found. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation on microstructures of MnSix thin films by Raman spectroscopy

In this paper, Raman spectroscopy is used to study the microstructures of MnSi_x thin films annealed at different temperatures. Two phases of Mn silicides, MnSi_1.73 and MnSi, are identified, and their Raman spectra are reported. Each phase of Mn silicides shows a set of three well‐defined peaks at about 300 cm⁻¹ in the spectrum, which could be used as fingerprints in identifying the formation of the Mn silicides. Compared with conventional X‐ray diffraction method, Raman spectroscopy is found to be more sensitive to investigate the microstructures of Mn silicides, especially at the initial stage of formation of the Mn silicides. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorption and reduction reactions of anthraquinone derivatives on gold electrodes studied with electrochemical surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Electrochemical surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC‐SERS), combined with cyclic voltammetry, and the density functional theoretical (DFT) method were used to investigate self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) adsorption and reduction processes. Here, we choose the system of interest, being thiolacetyl‐terminated 2‐phenylene ethynylene‐substituted anthraquinone molecule (2‐AQ) on gold electrodes in buffered aqueous and aprotic solutions. In the buffered aqueous solution, the results of cyclic voltammetry and EC‐SERS measurements, as well as DFT calculations, indicate that the adsorbed molecules pass through a two‐electron two‐proton reduction reaction with cathodic polarization. In particular, the latter two methods confirmed the structural changes of SAMs during the process of redox reaction, 2‐AQ + 2e + 2H⁺ → 2‐AQH₂, where 2‐AQ and 2‐AQH₂ are the oxidized and reduced forms, respectively. In aprotic solutions (acetonitile), a stepwise reaction mechanism was proposed on the basis of the results of EC‐SERS and DFT calculations. The first reduction peak should be a half reaction process 2‐AQ + e → 2‐AQ⁻, where 2‐AQ⁻ is a single electron reduced form. Compared with that of 2‐AQ SAMs in the buffered aqueous solution, the results of EC‐SERS and DFT calculations in aprotic solution suggested that the solvent effect significantly influences the redox process of 2‐AQ in electrochemical interfaces. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two‐dimensional correlation Raman spectroscopy for characterizing protein structure and dynamics

Since the initial introduction of the basic concept almost twenty years ago, two‐dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCoS) has become a popular analytical tool applicable to a broad range of science problems. Vibrational spectroscopy remains the major area of 2DCoS applications where infrared spectroscopy is the most popular technique followed by Raman and Near Infrared spectroscopies. An increasing number of publications over the past few years have established Raman 2DCoS as a powerful problem solving technique in protein studies. In this review we provide a critical survey of recent protein studies using the 2DCoS Raman approach. We also analyze common misconceptions and potential pitfalls in the interpretation of 2D correlation data. Over the past decade, there have been a number of publications pointing to artifacts associated with visualization and interpretation of 2D correlation maps. We demonstrate here how some of the ‘artifacts’ of the 2DCoS approach in ‐ reality turn into the strength of the method. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and Raman investigation of sol–gel‐derived relaxor ferroelectric thin films

Pb(Fe_2/3W_1/3)O₃ (PFW) thin films were deposited on platinized silicon substrate by a chemical solution deposition technique. Room‐temperature X‐ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a pure cubic crystal structure of the investigated material. The microstructure indicated good homogeneity and density of the thin films. A Raman spectroscopic study was carried out on PFW to study the polar nano‐regions in the temperature range 85–300 K. The Raman spectra showed a change in the peak intensity and a shift towards the lower wavenumber side with temperature. The Raman spectra also revealed the transition from the relaxor to the paraelectric state of PFW. There was no evidence of a soft mode in the low‐temperature region, in contrast to the normal ferroelectric behavior. The polar nano‐regions tend to grow and join at low temperatures (∼85 K), which become smaller with increase in temperature. The presence of strong Raman spectra in the cubic phase of the material is due to the presence of distributed Fm3m(Z = 2) symmetry nano‐ordered regions in the Pm3m(Z = 1) cubic phase. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman imaging and stress quantification in self‐assembled graphene oxide fiber ‘Latin Letters’

To probe the intrinsic stress distribution in terms of spatial Raman shift (ω) and change in the phonon linewidth (Γ), here we analyze self‐assembled graphene oxide fibers (GOF) ‘Latin letters’ by confocal Raman spectroscopy. The self‐assembly of GOF ‘Latin letters’ has been explained through surface tension, π–π stacking, van der Waals interaction at the air–water interface and by systematic time‐dependent investigation using field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. Intrinsic residual stress due to structural joints and bending is playing a distinct role affecting the E_2g mode (G band) at and away from the physical interface of GOF segments with broadening of phonon linewidth, indicating prominent phonon softening. Linescan across an interface of the GOF ‘letters’ reveals Raman shift to lower wavenumber in all cases but more so in ‘Z’ fiber exhibiting a broader region. Furthermore, intrinsic stress homogeneity is observed for ‘G’ fiber distributed throughout its curvature with negligible shift corresponding to E_2g mode vibration. This article demonstrates the significance of morphology in stress distribution across the self‐assembled and ‘smart‐integrable’ GOF ‘Latin letters’. Copyright © 2016 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.     

Raman spectroscopy of sol–gel derived titanium oxide thin films

Raman spectra of TiO₂ films prepared via the sol–gel process were studied by UV and visible Raman spectroscopy. The evolution of the phases of TiO₂ films during annealing was investigated, and the relative intensities of the Raman bands excited with 325 nm were found to be distinct from those of the bands excited with 514 nm. The transmittance and FTIR spectra of the films annealed at different temperatures were characterized. The crystallization process of the powders and thin films treated by different annealing methods were also studied with Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the change in the relative intensities is caused by the resonance Raman effect. The anatase to rutile transition of the powder occurs at 700 °C, while that of the thin film occurs at 800 °C. The analysis of Raman band shape (peak position and full width at half‐maximum) after conventional furnace annealing and rapid thermal annealing indicates the influence of the non‐stoichiometry and phonon confinement effect. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection of melamine in liquid milk using surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy

Melamine, a nitrogen‐rich chemical, has recently caused enormous economic losses to the food industry due to the cases of milk products adulterated by melamine. This has led to an urgent need of rapid and reliable methods for detection of melamine in food. In this study, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy was used to detect melamine in liquid milk. The sample preparation with liquid milk is very easy; it has to be only diluted with double‐distilled water followed by centrifugation. By using a silver colloid, at least a 10⁵‐fold enhancement of the Raman signal was achieved for the measurement of melamine. The limit of detection by this method was 0.01 µg ml⁻¹ for melamine standard samples. Based on the intensity of the Raman vibrational bands normalised to that of the band at 928 cm⁻¹ (CH₂), an external standard method was employed for quantitative analysis. The linear regression square (R²) of the curve was 0.9998; the limit of quantitation using this approach was 0.5 µg ml⁻¹ of melamine in liquid milk; the relative standard deviation was ≤10%; and recoveries were from 93 to 109%. The test results for SERS were very precise and as good as those obtained by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The method was simple, fast(only needs about 3 min), cost effective, and sensitive for the detection of melamine in liquid milk samples. Therefore, it is more suitable for the field detection of melamine in liquid milk. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The characteristics of laser‐driven shock wave investigated by time‐resolved Raman spectroscopy

An accurate and simple method, Raman peak‐shift simulation, is proposed to determine the characteristics of a laser‐driven shock wave. Using the principle of the Raman peaks shifting at high pressure and the pressure distribution in the gauge layer, the profile of the Raman peak can be numerically simulated. Combined with time‐resolved Raman spectroscopy, some main characteristics of the shock wave were determined. In the experiment, polycrystalline anthracene was used as the pressure gauge. The pump–probe technique was used to obtain the time‐resolved Raman spectra of anthracene under shock loading. The velocity of the shock wave, the peak pressure and the rise time of the shock front were determined by simulating the experimental spectra numerically. The result shows that the method of Raman peak‐shift simulation is effective in obtaining the characteristics of a laser‐driven shock wave. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of archeological glasses by micro‐Raman spectroscopy

The method based on the deconvolution of the Raman spectra of glasses, proposed for the investigation of glazed ceramics by Colomban, is applied to archeological samples of glass of two different origins in an attempt to characterize the glass composition and the fictive temperature using a contactless, nondestructive spectroscopic technique. The samples investigated are glassy mosaic tesserae of Roman times from Massa Lubrense, Napoli, Italy, and medieval rosary grains found during the excavations in the church of San Martino di Rivosecco, Parma, Italy. The polymerization index, obtained as the ratio of the bending and stretching band amplitudes, suggests firing temperatures not less than 1000–1100 °C for both Roman and medieval glasses. From the wavenumber shift of some stretching bands at about 1050–1100 cm⁻¹, the content of lead was estimated. The medieval samples show a lower Pb content, a result confirmed by elementary energy dispersive X‐ray spectral data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The structure of solvated halide ions in dimethyl sulfoxide studied by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction

The solvation structure of chloride, bromide, and iodide ions, X⁻, in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been investigated by using Raman spectroscopy and large angle X-ray diffraction under ambient conditions. The positively charged sulfur atom in DMSO interacts with X⁻ and slightly positively charged methyl groups in the coordinating molecules also interact with X⁻. The X⁻---S, X⁻···C, and X⁻···O distances are determined as follows: Cl⁻---S: 416, Cl⁻···C: 363, Cl⁻···O: 543, Br⁻---S: 433, Br⁻···C: 372, Br⁻···O: 544, I⁻---S: 437, I⁻···C: 374 and I⁻···O: 520 pm. The coordination numbers of DMSO molecules around the anions are six, seven and eight for Cl⁻, Br⁻ and I⁻ ions, respectively, with the uncertainty of ±1. Rather large uncertainties in the measured solvation numbers suggest large fluctuations in the solvation structure of the anions.     

Tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy – an interlaboratory reproducibility and comparison study

Since its first experimental realization, tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) has emerged as a potentially powerful nanochemical analysis tool. However, questions about the comparability and reproducibility of TERS data have emerged. This interlaboratory comparison study addresses these issues by bringing together different TERS groups to perform TERS measurements on nominally identical samples. Based on the spectra obtained, the absolute and relative peak positions, number of bands, peak intensity ratios, and comparability to reference Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) data are discussed. Our general findings are that all research groups obtained similar spectral patterns, irrespective of the setup or tip that was used. The TERS (and SERS) spectra consistently showed fewer bands than the conventional Raman spectrum. When comparing these three methods, the spectral pattern match and substance identification is readily possible. Absolute and relative peak positions of the three major signals of thiophenol scattered by 19 and 9 cm⁻¹, respectively, which can probably be attributed to different spectrometer calibrations. However, within the same group (but between different tips), the signals only scattered by 3 cm⁻¹ on average. This study demonstrated the suitability of TERS as an analytical tool and brings TERS a big step forward to becoming a routine technique. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy for trace‐level detection of explosives

The detection of explosives and their associated compounds for security screening is an active area of research and a wide variety of detection methods are involved in this very challenging area. Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is one of the most sensitive tools for the detection of molecules adsorbed on nano‐scale roughened metal surface. Moreover, SERS combines high sensitivity with the observation of vibrational spectra of species, giving complete information on the molecular structure of material under study. In this paper, SERS was applied to the detection of very small quantities of explosives adsorbed on industrially made substrates. The spectra were acquired with a compact Raman spectrometer. Usually, a high signal‐to‐noise (S/N) spectrum, suitable for identification of explosive molecules down to few hundreds of picograms, was achieved within 30 s. Our measurements suggest that it is possible to exploit SERS using a practical detection instrument for routine analysis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molecular orientation evolution during low‐density polyethylene blown film extrusion using real‐time Raman spectroscopy

Real‐time polarized Raman spectroscopy was used in this study to measure the molecular orientation evolution during blown film extrusion of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE). Spectra were obtained at different locations along the blown film line, starting from the molten state near the die and extending up to the solidified state near the nip rolls. The trans C C symmetrical stretching vibration of polyethylene (PE) at 1132 cm⁻¹ was analyzed for films possessing uniaxial symmetry. For the given peak, the principal axis of the Raman tensor is coincident with the c‐axis of the orthorhombic crystal, and was used to solve a set of intensity ratio equations to obtain second (〈P₂(cosθ)〉) and fourth (〈P₄(cosθ)〉) moments of the orientation distribution function. The orientation parameters (P₂, P₄) were found to increase along the axial distance in the film line even past the frost‐line height (FLH). The P₂ values also showed an increasing trend with crystalline evolution during extrusion, consistent with past observations that molecular orientation takes place even after the blown film diameter is locked into place. It was also found that the integral ratio (I₁₁₃₂/I₁₀₆₄) obtained from a single, ZZ‐back‐scattered mode can provide a reasonable estimate of molecular orientation. These results indicate the potential of real‐time Raman spectroscopy as a rapid microstructure monitoring tool for better process control during blown film extrusion. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.