Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive technique that is used for the identification and quantification of chemical composition, with no or minimum sample preparation. The technique was named after prominent physicist C. V. Raman, who received the Nobel Prize in 1930 for his contributions to spectroscopy.

A Raman spectrometer radiates a monochromatic light source (a laser beam) into a sample, collecting the scattered light. The absolute majority of scattered rays are in the same frequency as the incoming laser beam, a phenomenon known as elastic or Rayleigh scattering. A minute amount of the scattered light, about 10^-5%, shifts its energy level, and thus its frequency, due to the interaction of the electromagnetic waves of the laser beam and vibrational movements of the molecules in the sample. This is called Raman or inelastic scattering. After plotting the intensity of this scattering versus frequency, the resulting Raman spectrum is used to calculate a so-called fingerprint, which is unique for a given compound. A user can then learn the chemical composition and features of the sample by searching the fingerprint against a database of known compounds.

Improvements in the field of fiber optics, electronics and device miniaturization resulted in the emergence of portable Raman spectrometers in the 1980s. Ever since, a wide range of industries have benefited from these spectrometers, including general public safety, pharmaceuticals, polymers, oil and gas, and agriculture and food. The ability to detect explosives, narcotics and other illegal or hazardous materials by nonexpert personnel is of utmost importance to police departments, border guards and other security organizations. In the pharmaceutical industry, these instruments are used for raw-material inspection, and QC functions in drug and API manufacturing. Other applications include the evaluation of art works, oil and gas exploration, and finding the optimum nutritional mix for animal feed.

The total market for portable Raman spectrometry was about $150 million in 2016. With an estimated annual growth rate of over 10%, it is the fastest growing segment of the Raman spectroscopy market. Its growth is driven by tighter security measures around the world and regulatory reforms on drug production in developing countries, in particular China. It is also driven by its diversity of applications, lower price per unit, robust design and evolving user-friendliness— particularly advantageous due to a large, and growing, number of end-users without a technical background.

The leading manufacturer of portable Raman spectrometers is Thermo Fisher Scientific, offering two major lines of products: the TruScan RM Handheld Raman Analyzer for general purposes, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology applications, and the TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer, designed to address drug and drug trafficking problems. Released in October 2016, the latest version of TruNarch’s software enables the device to detect nearly 300 suspected narcotics and narcotics precursors. Other major suppliers are FLIR Systems, Morpho Detection, Rigaku Raman Systems, SciAps and Smiths Detection.

Portable Raman Spectroscopy at a Glance:

Leading vendors:

• Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Smiths Detection
• Morpho Detection (SAFRAN)

 Largest markets:

• General Public Safety
• Pharmaceuticals
• Polymers/Plastics

 Instrument Cost:

• $12,000­–$50,000