Portable Raman spectroscopy using retina-safe (1550 nm) laser excitation

Carl Brouillette; Wayne Smith; Michael Donahue; Hermes Huang; Chetan Shende; Atanu Sengupta; Frank Inscore; Michael Patient; Stuart Farquharson

doi:10.1117/12.920853

17 May 2012 Portable Raman spectroscopy using retina-safe (1550 nm) laser excitation

Carl Brouillette, Wayne Smith, Michael Donahue, Hermes Huang, Chetan Shende, Atanu Sengupta, Frank Inscore, Michael Patient, Stuart Farquharson

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8374, Next-Generation Spectroscopic Technologies V; 83740Q (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.920853
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2012, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

The use of portable Raman analyzers to identify unknown substances in the field has grown dramatically during the past decade. Measurements often require the laser beam to exit the confines of the sample compartment, which increases the potential of eye or skin damage. This is especially true for most commercial analyzers, which use 785 nm laser excitation. To overcome this safety concern, we have built a portable FT-Raman analyzer using a 1550 nm retina-safe excitation laser. Excitation at 1550 nm falls within the 1400 to 2000 nm retina-safe range, so called because the least amount of damage to the eye occurs in this spectral region. In contrast to wavelengths below 1400 nm, the retina-safe wavelengths are not focused by the eye, but are absorbed by the cornea, aqueous and vitreous humor. Here we compare the performance of this system to measurements of explosives at shorter wavelengths, as well as its ability to measure surface-enhanced Raman spectra of several chemicals, including the food contaminant melamine.

Citation Download Citation

Carl Brouillette, Wayne Smith, Michael Donahue, Hermes Huang, Chetan Shende, Atanu Sengupta, Frank Inscore, Michael Patient, and Stuart Farquharson "Portable Raman spectroscopy using retina-safe (1550 nm) laser excitation", Proc. SPIE 8374, Next-Generation Spectroscopic Technologies V, 83740Q (17 May 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.920853

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