Quantifying tiny amounts of a chemical substance can pose a big challenge. It is often easier to identify and quantify the composition of materials at a macro scale. But nanotechnology mandates the need to get deeper insights at smaller scales. Microanalysis is pivotal in this arena. Chemists have long deployed microanalytical techniques to characterise samples by observing minuscule phenomena. This is essential in an age where many materials we use are invisible to conventional optics.
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices pervade modern technology. You can find them on the high street, in homes, and even in the pockets of most consumers. Demand is such that the global OLED industry topped $37.6 billion in recent years. Meeting demand with supply represents an enormous challenge. But manufacturers have a suite of analytical tools available for both R&D and QA/QC. One of those tools is Raman spectroscopy. This non-invasive analytical technique is instrumental in advancing QA/QC of OLED displays - enabling scientists to examine the interaction between light and matter post-scattering. However, this is just a part of the story.
Photoluminescence microspectroscopy has a crucial part in scientific research as it enables researchers to study the light emission properties of materials at a microscopic level. By analyzing the intensity and characteristics of photoluminescence, scientists can obtain comprehensive insights into the behavior of electrons, energy transitions, and excited states. This analytical technique is also used to characterize the electrical and optical properties of semiconductors and other materials. This blog post will discuss some key challenges of photoluminescence microspectroscopy and offer solutions.
Confocal Raman microscopy has emerged as a powerful tool for researchers wanting to study a sample's chemical or molecular composition. In this field of chemical imaging, confocal Raman combines the spectral information obtained through Raman spectroscopy with the spatial filtering capabilities of a confocal optical microscope, which enables high-resolution visualization and analysis of samples. In this blog post, we will explore five key applications of confocal Raman microscopy across various scientific areas.
Protein molecules, comprising linear chains of amino acids, are crucial to cellular processes in living organisms. Protein crystals, a specific and intricate configuration of these molecules, offer substantial potential for diverse applications, notably in drug design and bioseparation. The process of growing these crystals to investigate their tertiary structures through X-ray diffraction, however, presents an array of technical challenges. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of techniques used to identify and characterize protein crystals.
