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Raman Laboratory

Raman microscope with spectrometer

Cryostat which serves as a planetary simulation chamber under the Raman microscope.

The core of the laboratory is a Raman micro-spectrometer. The spectrometer is equipped with a cryostat serving as a planetary simulation chamber which permits simulation of environmental conditions on planetary surfaces, namely pressure (10-6 hPa  – 1000 hPa), atmospheric constituents, and temperature (4K – 500K). The laboratory is also equipped with preparation facilities for analog materials. The samples which are analyzed in the laboratory range from minerals, Martian analog material, meteorites, biological samples (e.g. carotene, naringenin, lichens, bacteria, archaea and other) and  samples returned from the asteroid Itokawa (Hayabusa samples). The micro-spectrometer has the following specifications:

• confocal Raman microscope Witec alpha300 system;
• various objectives: 10xEPlan; 20x, 50x, 100x and 100xLWD
• lase excitation wavelengths: 532 nm;  633nm
• laser power: up to 14 mW on sample adjustable in minimum 0.01mW steps
• spot size on the sample in focus  <1.5 µm;
• grating spectrometer: 600 l/mm and 1800 l/mm gratings; 4-5 cm-1 and 1 cm-1 spectral resolution;
• Scan table: 200µm x 200µm  with spatial resolution 1nm
• AFM - capability with contact and pulsed force modes