Software Requirements and Data Analysis in Confocal Raman Microscopy

Abstract

In confocal Raman microscopy experiments, hundreds of thousands of spectra are commonly acquired in each measurement. Every spectrum carries a wealth of information on the material at the position where the spectrum is recorded. From each of these spectra the relevant information can be extracted to allow i.e. the determination of the various phases present in the sample, variations in the strain state, or temporal evolutions. For this purpose, the spectra need to be prepared (i.e. background subtraction) before the relevant information can be extracted using appropriate filters and algorithms. This information can then be visualized as an image, which can be further processed and exported for the presentation of the results of the experiment. In this chapter, the requirements of the software in terms of handling the data streams and maintaining the spatial and spectral correlation between the spectra and the created images are illustrated. Spectral data processing features, simple and multi-variant algorithms for image creation as well as advanced data processing features are discussed.