Stand-off Raman spectroscopy

Stand-off Raman spectroscopy, where the instrumentation is physically separated from the sample under investigation, can be extremely advantageous for analysis of dangerous, fragile or inaccessible samples. We first review common aspects of stand-off Raman instruments, including laser, optical lay-out, wavelength dispersion and detection, and how their characteristics can affect overall performance. We then provide an overview of applications of stand-off Raman spectroscopy in different fields, including geology, explosives detection, art and archaeology. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.