Vibrational Spectroscopy Lab

The Vibrational Spectroscopy Laboratory contains two laser Raman microprobes for analysis of fluid and melt inclusions and minerals: a visible Raman (with FTIR unit) and a UV Raman Laser Microprobe. Both systems are based on the JY Horiba LabRam HR (high resolution) design with an 800 mm spectrograph.

The visible Raman is equipped with a 100 mW, air-cooled 514 nm Argon laser and a 17 mW, 632 nm HeNe laser for excitation; an air-cooled (-70°C) CCD detector with a 1024 x 256 pixels front illuminated chip; 1800 and 600 grooves/mm gratings; confocal optics; an internal Ne source for wavelength calibration; an FTIR module that permits FTIR and Raman analysis of the same spot without moving the sample.

The UV Raman system is identical to the first except that it is equipped with 2400 and 300 groove/mm gratings; a 5 W, 514 nm Argon ion laser and a 100 mW, 244 nm UV laser; liquid nitrogen cooled, back-illuminated CCD detector optimized for the UV region. The UV system allows for the analysis of many materials (e.g. organic compounds) that fluoresce strongly under visible radiation.

Both systems are equipped with Olympus microscopes with a range of objective lenses and filters. Analyses can be carried out over a wide range of temperatures when used in conjunction with aLinkam heating/cooling stage, a Chaixmeca heating stage, or a Joule-Thompson cooling stage, available for use on both instruments. Both units offer excellent spatial resolution (approximately 1 um) for the micro-analysis of mineral phases, melt and fluid inclusions.