Focused ion beam preparation of samples for X‐ray nanotomography

The preparation of hard material samples with the necessary size and shape is critical to successful material analysis. X‐ray nanotomography requires that samples are sufficiently thin for X‐rays to pass through the sample during rotation for tomography. One method for producing samples that fit the criteria for X‐ray nanotomography is focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM) which uses a focused beam of ions to selectively mill around a region of interest and then utilizes a micromanipulator to remove the milled‐out sample from the bulk material and mount it on a sample holder. In this article the process for preparing X‐ray nanotomography samples in multiple shapes and sizes is discussed. Additionally, solid‐oxide fuel cell anode samples prepared through the FIB/SEM technique underwent volume‐independence studies for multiple properties such as volume fraction, average particle size, tortuosity and contiguity to observe the characteristics of FIB/SEM samples in X‐ray nanotomography.     

Studies on the resonance Raman spectra of polyaniline obtained with near‐IR excitation

The effects of near‐IR (NIR) laser power over the Raman spectra of poly(aniline) emeraldine salt (PANI‐ES) and base (PANI‐EB) were investigated. The reasons for the existence of several bands from 1324 to 1500 cm⁻¹ in the Raman spectra of poly(aniline) obtained at NIR region were also studied. The bands from 1324 to 1375 cm⁻¹ were associated to νC N of polarons with different conjugation lengths and the bands from 1450 to 1500 cm⁻¹ in Raman spectra of PANI emeraldine and pernigraniline base forms were correlated to νCN modes associated with quinoid units having different conjugation lengths. The increase of laser power at 1064.0 nm causes the deprotonation of PANI‐ES and the formation of cross‐linking segments having phenazine and/or oxazine rings. For PANI‐EB only a small spectral change is observed when the laser power is increased, owing to the low absorption of this form in the NIR region. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time resolved Raman spectroscopy for depth analysis of multi‐layered mineral samples

Time resolved Raman spectroscopy (TRRS) can provide subsurface information from multi‐layered samples of transparent and translucent evaporative and silicate minerals up to several centimetres thick. Depth information was obtained using 3‐ps pulsed laser excitation at 720 nm and a gated intensified charge‐coupled device detector with stepwise increasing delay times. Blocks of different minerals were used as first, second or third layers, and Raman spectra from deeper layers could be detected through 10 mm of translucent calcite and up to 40 mm of transparent halite crystals. Measurements by conventional confocal Raman, as well as spatially offset Raman spectroscopy were also successful in distinguishing different mineral layers. This study establishes the great potential for the use of Raman spectroscopy in future planetary exploration, where TRRS could be used as a non‐invasive tool for profiling the (sub‐)surface at millimetre‐depth resolution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Real‐time molecular assessment on oxidative injury of single cells using Raman spectroscopy

Oxidative stress is encountered in many biological systems; the resultant oxidative injury plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of diverse diseases. Conventional measurements on oxidative injury are employed almost exclusively on a large population of cells either by counting the fraction of cell death or by observing the fluorometric change resulting from exogenous reagents, thereby lacking in molecular detail and temporal specificity. In this work we combine laser tweezers and Raman spectroscopy to observe the response of single cells to oxidative stress. By measuring the temporal changes of vibrational spectra of single optically trapped cells, we demonstrate a molecular‐level assessment of cellular oxidative injury in real time, both qualitatively and quantitatively, without the introduction of exogenous reagents. The main experimental findings are supported by the observation of Raman spectra of intermediates and downstream products. The abrogation of the above changes by ascorbic acid further illustrates the therapeutic effect of antioxidants against cellular oxidative injury. This approach is extensible to studies exploring the biochemical transformation of single cells or intracellular organelles in response to various chemical or physical stimuli. With the aid of ‘molecular fingerprints’, single‐cell Raman spectroscopy exhibits a great potential for accessing the chemical aspects of cellular bioactivity, yielding insight into pathophysiological processes and assisting the development of novel therapeutic interventions against diseases. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterisation and classification of automotive clear coats with Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics for forensic purposes

The clear coats from a collection of automotive paint samples of 139 vehicles, covering a range of Australian and international vehicle manufacturers and sold in Western Australia, were characterised using FT‐Raman spectroscopy. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed 19 distinct classes that were associated with the vehicles' manufacturer and model, and in the case of Australian manufacturers, the years of manufacture. Linear discriminant analysis based on the PCA groupings gave excellent discrimination between the groups with 96.9% of the calibration set and 97.6% of the validation set being correctly classified. Although the sample set comprised only vehicles available in Australia, the methodology used is universal and hence applicable in any jurisdiction that is willing and able to generate a statistically significant data set and maintain and update it as new vehicles appear on the market. A FT‐Raman spectroscopy‐based database would rapidly provide information regarding vehicle origin and manufacture and hence generate investigative leads for questioned paint samples found at incident sites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical analysis of very small‐sized samples by wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence

The chemical characterisation of very small‐sized samples is often of major interest in forensic analysis, studies of artworks, particulate matter on filters, raw materials impurities, and so on, although it generally poses considerable problems owing to the difficulty of obtaining precise and accurate results. This study was undertaken to develop a set of methods for the chemical characterisation of very small‐sized samples by wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence. To conduct the study, sample preparation (as beads and pellets) and measurement conditions were optimised to reach the necessary detection and quantification limits and to obtain the appropriate measurement uncertainty for characterising the types of materials involved. The measurements were validated by using reference materials. Three test methods were developed. In two methods, the samples were prepared in the form of beads (one method being for geological materials and the other for the analysis of nongeological materials such as particulate matter on filters, glasses, frits, and ceramic glazes and pigments). In the third method, the samples were prepared in the form of pellets for the analysis of volatile elements in geological materials. In the three methods, detection limits, quantification limits and measurement uncertainties were obtained similar to those found when a bead or pellet is prepared by the usual methods from 0.5 g sample. However, in this study, sample size was between 30 and 40 times smaller in the case of beads and 100 times smaller in the case of pellets, thus broadening the range of possible wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence applications in the chemical characterisation of materials. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Implementation of a novel low‐noise InGaAs detector enabling rapid near‐infrared multichannel Raman spectroscopy of pigmented biological samples

Pigmented tissues are inaccessible to Raman spectroscopy using visible laser light because of the high level of laser‐induced tissue fluorescence. The fluorescence contribution to the acquired Raman signal can be reduced by using an excitation wavelength in the near infrared range around 1000 nm. This will shift the Raman spectrum above 1100 nm, which is the principal upper detection limit for silicon‐based CCD detectors. For wavelengths above 1100 nm indium gallium arsenide detectors can be used. However, InGaAs detectors have not yet demonstrated satisfactory noise level characteristics for demanding Raman applications. We have tested and implemented for the first time a novel sensitive InGaAs imaging camera with extremely low readout noise for multichannel Raman spectroscopy in the short‐wave infrared (SWIR) region. The effective readout noise of two electrons is comparable to that of high quality CCDs and two orders of magnitude lower than that of other commercially available InGaAs detector arrays. With an in‐house built Raman system we demonstrate detection of shot‐noise limited high quality Raman spectra of pigmented samples in the high wavenumber region, whereas a more traditional excitation laser wavelength (671 nm) could not generate a useful Raman signal because of high fluorescence. Our Raman instrument makes it possible to substantially decrease fluorescence background and to obtain high quality Raman spectra from pigmented biological samples in integration times well below 20 s. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of the discriminating power of Raman and surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy with established techniques for the examination of liquid and gel inks

The ability to discriminate between inks is important for forensic document analysis. Here, Raman spectroscopy (RS) and surface‐enhanced RS have been compared to the traditional document examination techniques of video spectral comparison and thin layer chromatography on a population of blue and black‐coloured liquid and gel inks. It was found that in most cases, the Raman techniques provided a similar or better discriminating power than the conventional methods. Importantly, this study allowed us to determine whether the same underlying changes in composition were being exploited by the different methods to discriminate between samples. It was found that there was indeed a high degree of commonality in the sample pairs being discriminated by the various techniques. This work can therefore underpin introduction of Raman methods into standard operating procedures for ink analysis since it not only measures the extent of discrimination between samples but can also explain the origin of the spectral changes that are used to distinguish between them. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Crown copyright     

Identification and spectra–structure determination of soil minerals: Raman study supported by IR spectroscopy and X‐ray powder diffraction

Raman and IR spectroscopy were used for the characterization of several minerals in morphologically similar vertisol sequences from Kiževak (Serbia). It helped us to establish the surface layer transition going from calcic vertisols (containing gypsum and calcite) to calcimagnesic vertisols (containing aragonite, magnesium‐calcite and dolomite) derived from peridotite and serpentinite. The observed band positions are found to be solely characteristic for each carbonate mineral and are used to discuss the main structural features of carbonates and sulfates present in the studied soil. It was found that the dolomite, calcite and aragonite concretions are present in the deepest layer of the soil, whereas the gypsum is found in the topsoil. The identification was confirmed of the carbonates having calcite and aragonite structure, and the representative from the sulfate group (gypsum) was confirmed by X‐ray powder diffraction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of confiscated fireworks using Raman spectroscopy assisted with SEM‐EDS and FTIR

A forensic analysis of several samples of pyrotechnic artefacts was performed by Raman spectroscopy assisted by scanning electron microscopy/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Among the components, several nitrates, ammonium perchlorate, nitrocellulose, metallic titanium particles and shellac were detected. The combination of Raman spectroscopy and SEM‐EDS showed very useful performance. All components were detected by Raman spectroscopy except for shellac, kaolinite and titanium particles, which were not conclusive enough and had to be determined by FTIR and EDS. In contrast, many compounds were not detected by FTIR. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Model‐based pre‐processing in Raman spectroscopy of biological samples

Model‐based pre‐processing has become wide spread in spectroscopy and is the standard procedure in Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. It has also been shown to give valuable contributions in Raman spectroscopy. Extended multiplicative signal correction is flexible enough to handle varying fluorescence background and take into account individual variations in baselines while still keeping enough rigidity through reference spectra and model fitting to avoid degenerate solutions and overfitting, when used correctly. We demonstrate the basic extended multiplicative signal correction method and some extensions, including a novel shift correction, on real Raman data to demonstrate effects on visual appearance, replicate variation and prediction. Comparisons with other standard correction methods are also shown and discussed. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improving signal-to-noise ratio for the forensic analysis of glass using micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μXRF) is a standard technique used for the elemental analysis of glass fragments in forensic casework. The glass specimens encountered in casework are usually small (<1 mm), thin fragments that are partially transparent to the exciting X-ray beam. In addition to providing fluorescence from the small glass fragments, the primary beam X-rays can scatter within the chamber and provide noise in the measurements. To reduce scatter from the sample stage, the fragments are typically mounted on a thin plastic film and raised on an XRF sample cup (≤3 cm in height). However, at these heights, there may still be significant scatter from the sample stage, which adversely affects the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the limit of detection (LOD). A plastic mount was designed and 3D-printed in-house to allow fragments to be raised as high as possible from the sample stage, thereby minimizing stage scatter. Most elements detected in glass showed an improvement in the SNR when using the 3D-printed mount for analyses. The greatest improvement (>30%) was observed for lower atomic number elements (Na and Mg) and higher atomic number elements (Sr and Zr). Another simple method to improve SNR is the use of primary beam filters; when using primary beam filters during analyses, elements with characteristic lines in the high-energy range (Rb, Sr, and Zr) showed the greatest improvement (>70%) in SNR. The impact of both strategies for the improvement of SNR is presented here.     

Microfluidic sample preparation for elemental analysis in liquid samples using micro X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry

The integration of microfluidic devices with micro X‐ray fluorescence (micro‐XRF) spectrometry offers a new approach for the direct characterization of liquid materials. A sample presentation method based on use of small volumes (<5 µl) of liquid contained in an XRF‐compatible device has been developed. In this feasibility study, a prototype chip was constructed, and its suitability for XRF analysis of liquids was evaluated, along with that of a commercially produced microfluidic device. Each of the chips had an analytical chamber which contained approximately 1 µl of sample when the device was filled using a pipette. The performance of the chips was assessed using micro‐XRF and high resolution monochromatic wavelength dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, a method that provides highly selective and sensitive detection of actinides. The intended application of the device developed in this study is for measurement of Pu in spent nuclear fuel. Aqueous solutions and a synthetic spent fuel matrix were used to evaluate the devices. Sr, which has its Kα line energy close to the Pu Lα line at 14.2 keV, was utilized as a surrogate for Pu because of reduced handling risks. Between and within chip repeatability were studied, along with linearity of response and accuracy. The limit of detection for Sr determination in the chip is estimated at 5 ng/µl (ppm). This work demonstrates the applicability of microfluidic sample preparation to liquid characterization by XRF, and provides a basis for further development of this approach for elemental analysis within a range of sample types. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Raman analysis of insulin denaturation induced by high‐pressure and thermal treatments

Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate different conformational states of bovine pancreatic insulin: the native form and several structurally modified states with different extent of denaturation induced by thermo‐chemical treatment and by applying very high pressure (up to 8 GPa) using a diamond anvil cell. High‐pressure results confirm the peculiar strength to volume compression of insulin and largely extend the pressure range of its structural stability (0–4.2 GPa). Above 4.2 GPa, insulin undergoes an irreversible structural transition that, once pressure is released, leaves the sample in a new conformational state. The protein secondary structure after the pressure treatment results in a structure that is somewhat intermediate between that of the native and the thermo‐chemical fibrillar samples. The analysis of the pressure dependence of the Raman spectrum and of several specific spectroscopic markers allows us to follow the path from the native to new pressure‐denatured protein conformation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土壤重金属铬元素的激光诱导击穿光谱定量分析研究

利用Nd ∶YAG脉冲激光器(波长:1064 nm)作为光源,在实验室自然大气环境下诱导产生土壤激光等离子体,通过等离子体原子发射光谱法定量分析了国家标准土壤样品中元素Cr的含量.实验上研究了在最佳实验条件下土壤中Cr的LIBS分析谱线,测定了Cr元素的定标曲线.实验结果表明,Cr元素浓度在(60—400)×10^-6范围内,元素含量与光谱线强度之间有较好的线性关系;元素Cr浓度分析测量的相对标准偏差(RSD)为7.89%,定量分析结果与标准值的相对偏差为5.3%,Cr元素的检测限为1 关键词： 土壤污染 定量分析 激光诱导击穿光谱 定标曲线     

An intelligent background‐correction algorithm for highly fluorescent samples in Raman spectroscopy

Fluorescent background is a major problem in recoding the Raman spectra of many samples, which swamps or obscures the Raman signals. The background should be suppressed in order to perform further qualitative or quantitative analysis of the spectra. For this purpose, an intelligent background‐correction algorithm is developed, which simulates manual background‐correction procedure intelligently. It basically consists of three aspects: (1) accurate peak position detection in the Raman spectrum by continuous wavelet transform (CWT) with the Mexican Hat wavelet as the mother wavelet; (2) peak‐width estimation by signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) enhancing derivative calculation based on CWT but with the Haar wavelet as the mother wavelet; and (3) background fitting using penalized least squares with binary masks. This algorithm does not require any preprocessing step for transforming the spectrum into the wavelet space and can suppress the fluorescent background of Raman spectra intelligently and validly. The algorithm is implemented in R language and available as open source software ( http://code.google.com/p/baselinewavelet ). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of spectra sample size for characterizing single cells using micro‐Raman spectroscopy

Single‐cell micro‐Raman spectroscopy has the potential to become a powerful, new cytometric approach for discriminating between cell types and identifying subpopulations of cells based on differences in the intrinsic, molecular content of the cells. Despite the considerable progress in demonstrating many biomedical applications of single‐cell Raman spectroscopy, an unresolved issue with this method is the inconsistent manner in which the technique has been applied experimentally to acquire spectra from a cell, which can potentially lead to irreproducible and inconsistent results from study to study. Specifically, the problem pertains to the validity of using micro‐Raman spectroscopy to sample an arbitrary fraction of the cell volume and to claim that the resulting spectrum represents the entire cell volume. In this study, we investigate the effect of sample size (i.e. the number of Raman spectra acquired from distinct locations in a cell) on the ability to generate a Raman spectrum that accurately describes the total molecular content of the cell. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a minimum sample size of Raman spectra acquired from a cell can be used in place of a full hyperspectral Raman image to achieve the same degree of discrimination between different cell populations. Lymphocytes exposed to the chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, at different concentrations and exposure times are used as a model biological system in this study. This work demonstrates the importance of adequate spectral sampling and presents an approach for determining the minimum sample size needed to reproduce a Raman spectrum of a whole cell, which are expected to impact future single‐cell Raman spectroscopy studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An original approach for Raman spectroscopy analysis of radioactive materials and its application to americium‐containing samples

An approach for Raman measurements of highly radioactive samples is presented here. The innovative part of this approach lies in the fact that no single part of the Raman equipment is in direct contact with the radioactive sample, as the sample is sealed in an alpha‐tight capsule. Raman analysis is effectively performed through the optical‐grade quartz window closing the capsule. This allows performing micro‐Raman measurements on radioactive samples with no limitations on the laser source wavelength, polarisation mode, spectrometer mode and microscope mode (provided the focal length of the microscope objective is greater than the thickness of the quartz window and with sub mg samples). Some example results are shown and discussed. In particular, some spectral features of americium‐containing oxide nuclear fuel specimens are presented. Raman spectra clearly reveal in these specimens the presence of abundant oxygen defects induced in the fcc fluorite lattice by trivalent americium. In order to complete the analysis the Raman spectrum of pure americium dioxide was also measured with a lower energy excitation source compared with previous research. The current results seem to be consistent with the possible occurrence of a photolysis process induced by the Raman laser, resulting in the formation of hyperstoichiometric americium sesquioxide Am₂O_{3 + z}. Such a photolytic process is deemed to be unavoidable when visible lasers are used as excitation sources for the Raman analysis of americium dioxide. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Raman Spectroscopy Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of self‐repair mechanisms of Phaseolus vulgaris var. saxa using near‐infrared surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

We used surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to investigate ultrastructural changes in cell‐wall composition during the self‐repair of lacerated hypocotyls of Phaseolus vulgaris var. saxa. A detailed study of self‐repair mechanisms requires localized information about cell‐wall structure and morphology in addition to the chemical cell‐wall composition. Characteristic Raman and SER spectra yielded two‐dimensional maps of cross sections of P. vulgaris var. saxa visualizing chemical compositions in the walls of different cell types and during various repair phases. SERS substrate particles were produced by the reduction of gold chloride on the plant tissue surface and characterized with absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The SERS results were compared with stained cross sections of the same plant using dark‐field microscopy with focus on lignin and suberin contents in repairing cells. In addition, SERS measurements revealed Au cyanide compounds on the cell surface, indicating the formation of hydrogen cyanide during the self‐repair phase. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of sample preparation methods for stable isotope analysis of dissolved sulphate in forested watersheds

Pretreatment methods for measuring stable sulphur (δ³⁴S) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope ratios of dissolved sulphate from watersheds have evolved throughout the last few decades. The current study evaluated if there are differences in the measured stable S and O isotope values of dissolved sulphate from forested watersheds when pretreated using three different methods: Method 1 (M1): adsorb sulphate on anion exchange resins and send directly to isotope facility; Method 2 (M2): adsorb sulphate on anion exchange resins, extract sulphate from anion exchange resins, and send the produced BaSO₄ to the isotope facility; and Method 3 (M3): directly precipitate BaSO₄ without anion exchange resins with the precipitates being sent to the isotope facility. We found an excellent agreement of the δ³⁴S_sulphate values among all the three methods. However, some differences were observed in the δ¹⁸O_sulphate values (M1 versus M2:?1.5 ‰; M1 versus M3:?1.2 ‰) associated with possible O contamination before isotope measurement. Several approaches are recommended to improve the pretreatment procedures for δ¹⁸O_sulphate analysis.