Raman spectroscopy measures inelastic scattering of monochromatic light — typically from a laser — to probe vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes of molecules and crystal lattices. Unlike FTIR, which measures absorption, Raman detects scattered photons that have shifted in energy, making it sensitive to symmetric vibrations and non-polar bonds that are often infrared-inactive. This complementarity makes Raman spectroscopy a powerful partner to FTIR for molecular fingerprinting.
A Raman spectroscopy database supports applications from mineralogy and gemology to pharmaceutical analysis and forensic investigation. Raman reference spectra enable rapid, non-destructive identification of unknown materials — often through packaging, glass, or water — making the technique ideal for field use, art conservation, and in-situ geological analysis. The technique also excels at distinguishing polymorphs and crystal structures.
SpectralBench hosts Raman reference spectra for minerals, chemicals, and materials. View interactive spectra with full measurement metadata, compare against your samples, and download in CSV or JCAMP-DX format for integration with your spectral library.