Advances in Through-Barrier Raman Identification of Real-World Samples

Though valued as an identification technique by the pharmaceutical and safety and security sectors, traditional Raman spectroscopy faces limitations when samples are inside visually opaque containers, hindering its practical application in these fields. Most commercial Raman systems are designed with both the excitation beam of the laser and the Raman beam being focused at the same point. This approach breaks down when a sample is being measured inside of an opaque container, as the container diffuses the light so it cannot be focused inside of the container. Often this makes traditional Raman measurements of samples through opaque packaging unsuccessful, requiring further active sampling by an end-user that attributes to higher safety risks and potential for product contamination. This presentation will describe the “see-through” Raman technology developed to expand on the confocal design of most Raman systems and increase the relative intensity of the Raman signal from the sample inside of the container, therefore allowing for better identification of the sample without having to open the container. Several examples of practical applications will be presented, as these real-world measurements help to drive the use of Raman spectroscopy as a routine measurement for operators.