FIP Seminar: Shifted Excitation Raman Difference Spectroscopy - From Tailor Made Diode Lasers to Real-World Applications

Shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) has been successfully demonstrated for separating Raman signals from unwanted background disturbances such as fluorescence and ambient light. This powerful physical approach has been carried out for various laboratory and in situ applications such as food safety control, in vivo diagnostics, and on-site soil investigations.
The Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) develops and fabricates tailor made diode lasers and diode laser systems as excitation light sources for Raman spectroscopy and SERDS. These novel monolithic and hybrid-integrated devices provide emission wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared spectral range e.g. at 671 nm and 785 nm. A flexible optical output power from tens of milliwatts to the Watt-class enables a wide range of Raman investigations with respect to experimental needs and sample properties. Their compact size and low power consumption allow an easy integration of such light sources into portable sensor systems.
This presentation will give an overview of semiconductor lasers realized at FBH and their characteristics will be discussed with respect to the requirements for Raman spectroscopy and SERDS. Laboratory and on-site SERDS investigations will demonstrate the suitability of these devices for improving Raman spectroscopy for real-world applications.

Martin Maiwald is head of the Laser Sensors Lab at the research institute Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH) in Germany. His current research area is in the field of diode lasers, non-linear optics for frequency conversion, and the development of compact diode laser modules and sensor systems for Raman spectroscopy and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS).
Martin earned a Diploma in 2004 and a Doctoral degree in 2009 from the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany, both in physics.
His diploma research was related to surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for in-situ trace detection of pollutants in seawater. His doctoral research was focused primarily on the development of diode-laser-based microsystem light sources for Raman spectroscopy and SERDS.
Martin is author of more than 110 scientific papers and inventor and co-inventor of 7 patents in the field of diode lasers and Raman spectroscopy.