Molecular Spectroscopy

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Evaluating a Multilayer Polymer Film by Raman Microscopy

July 19th 2024

In this article, we show a cross-sectional map of a film compared to a depth profile to evaluate the quality of depth profile measurements.

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A Brief Review of the Latest Spectroscopic Research in Environmental Analysis

June 18th 2024

Biomedical engineers are working in the laboratory. Generated with AI. | Image Credit: © rizky - stock.adobe.com
Advancements in Raman Spectroscopy Propel Biomedical Science Forward

June 18th 2024

Perseverance Rover's Cruise Stage Separation. Satellite module delivers cargo to the red planet Mars | Image Credit: © alones - stock.adobe.com
Raman Spectroscopy and its Role in Perseverance Rover’s SuperCam Instrument

June 14th 2024

Planet Mars, in red rusty color, on a dark background. Elements of this image were furnished by NASA | Image Credit: © Artsiom P - stock.adobe.com
New Auto-Focusing Raman Spectrometer Enhances Deep Space Exploration

June 13th 2024

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Recording the Raman Spectrum of a Single Molecule

Recording the Raman Spectrum of a Single Molecule

September 2nd 2021

Analytical chemists are continually striving to advance techniques to make it possible to observe and measure matter and processes at smaller and smaller scales. Professor Vartkess Ara Apkarian and his team at the University of California, Irvine have made a significant breakthrough in this quest: They have recorded the Raman spectrum of a single azobenzene thiol molecule. The approach, which breaks common tenets about surface-enhanced Raman scattering/spectroscopy (SERS) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), involved imaging an isolated azobenzene thiol molecule on an atomically flat gold surface, then picking it up and recording its Raman spectrum using an electrochemically etched silver tip, in an ultrahigh vacuum cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope. For the resulting paper detailing the effort [1], Apkarian and his associates are the 2021 recipients of the William F. Meggers Award, given annually by the Society for Applied Spectroscopy to the authors of the outstanding paper appearing in the journal Applied Spectroscopy. We spoke to Apkarian about this research, and what being awarded this honor means to him and his team. This interview is part of an ongoing series with the winners of awards that are presented at the annual SciX conference. The award will be presented to Apkarian at this fall’s event, which will be held in person in Providence, Rhode Island, September 28–October 1.