Choosing the right laser for Raman spectroscopy isn’t particularly an easy task. In the past, I initially proposed to use Thorlabs cheap CPS532 laser which has limited spectral performances that limited the spectrometer resolution to 35 cm-1. I also proposed a more performant solution using Thorlabs DJ532 laser diode which could Read more…
Choosing the proper laser for Raman spectroscopy can be a difficult task. You want one that is performant enough but without having to pay the high price for it. Another difficulty adds up when recommending specific laser brands because you also want the lasers to have reproducible performances from user Read more…
Operating a laser is far from being a trivial operation. Depending on the exact temperature and current you may experience completely different behaviors! This is illustrated in Figure 1 where you can see the high-resolution spectrum of the same laser diode, the Thorlabs DJ532-40 used in the OpenRAMAN Performance Edition, Read more…
In this post I will share some of the most important tips I learned about optical systems assembly and alignment during my career. I will use OpenRAMAN as a teaching example because applying these tips will make a big difference, as much as going from not working to high quality Read more…
When I first started the OpenRAMAN project there is one word that resonated for me: accessibility. I wanted the project to bring Raman spectroscopy to as many people as possible, and more specifically to those like me who couldn’t afford a commercial instrument. So it became natural to seek for Read more…
I recently had the occasion to measure the efficiency of the spectrometer part of the OpenRAMAN setup using a calibrated powermeter (Thorlabs PM100D) at the office and I’m therefore taking the occasion to create a short post on the subject. The spectrometer I tested was actually an adapted version of Read more…