MRI: Development of a Multifocal Hyperspectral Raman Imaging System for Research and Training in Advanced Materials at CWRU

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH

Investigators

Abstract

Raman instruments can image the distribution of chemical bonds in matter and it is commonly used in materials science, biology, energy, medicine, chemistry and physics. Current instruments are slow in generating these images; therefore, dynamic processes cannot be imaged with conventional Raman instruments. The goal of this project is to address this limitation by developing a novel Raman instrument which will be faster than conventional devices by an order of magnitude or more, enabling the study of a range of dynamic applications including battery charging, light emitting diodes and biological systems. The impact of such a device elicits is not limited to the progress of science, but also extends to healthcare, defense and energy. The user base includes local institutions such as Cleveland Museum of Art's conservation science division as well as the institutions and industry in the greater area of northeast Ohio. A teaching module is being included in the undergraduate measurement laboratory for visualizing temperature distribution in mixed temperature fluid flow. A postdoctoral fellow and a graduate student will receive firsthand experience in developing the system as instrument scientists in forefront research. The instrument developed in this project will be capable of generating chemical images of materials expeditiously in a single snapshot without the need for spatial scanning. A multifocal global Raman imaging system with 2D CCDs is being integrated to cover visible to shortwave infrared range. Using a dual axis kinematic dielectric filtering scheme, the system will be able to operate in the hyperspectral mode, providing a full spectrum at each pixel of the image. The system performance will be evaluated in a variety of applications such as InGaN nanowhiskers, lithium ion batteries, cellulose nanocrystals, mineralized nanocomposites, photovoltaic cells, polybenzoxazines, micrometeorites, dental decay, art paintings, microplasma synthesized nanomaterials and polymeric organic light emitting diodes. Instrument development will be supplemented with training seminars, development of user manuals, instrument showcasing in local and national meetings and the development of an undergraduate laboratory module.