Spectroscopy - Digital Edition - 05/01/2012

A recent study from Southwest Jiaotong University examines using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to analyze the sturdiness of steel rails used in infrastructure projects.

Creating uniform and repeatable monolayers is incredibly important for both scientific pursuits as well as the manufacturing of products in semiconductor, biotechnology, and. other industries. However, measuring monolayers and functionalized surfaces directly is. difficult, and many rely on a variety of characterization techniques that when used together can provide some degree of confidence. By combining non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) and IR spectroscopy, IR PiFM provides sensitive and accurate analysis of sub-monolayer of molecules without the concern of tip-sample cross contamination. Dr. Sung Park, Molecular Vista, joined Spectroscopy to provide insights on how IR PiFM can acquire IR signature of monolayer films due to its unique implementation.

Here are the top five articles that the editors of Spectroscopy published this week.

Chinese scientists recently created a dual-response fluorescent probe to better understand the pathological mechanisms of depression disorder.

Metrohm has launched a website that details the use of portable Raman spectroscopy instrumentation to detect fentanyl, and other manufacturers are joining the battle too.