Key features
- True confocal – Ideal for depth profiling and creating 3D Raman images with high accuracy.
- Superior spatial and spectral resolution – Lateral ~200 nm (diffraction limit), spectral resolution down to 0.1 cm⁻¹ (@633 nm) thanks to the UHTS spectrometer.
- Fast Raman Imaging™ and Ultrafast Raman Imaging – Options for motorized or piezo-driven scanning tables, reducing acquisition time while maintaining resolution.
- Long-term focus stability – Focus stabilization compensates for thermal and mechanical variations in long-term measurements.
- Flexible excitation wavelength – Choose from UV to NIR, can accommodate multiple lasers, switched via software.
- Correlative integration and upgrades – Easily add AFM (alpha300 RA), SNOM (alpha300 RS), RISE (Raman-SEM), TERS, TrueSurface™, TruePower™, etc.
Detailed description
Technology & principles
Alpha300 R is a confocal Raman microscope system using an UHTS monochromator with an optical design based on lenses for throughput >70% over a wide spectral range. The Raman signal is collected through the same optical path, spatially filtered through an adjustable pinhole, then resolved by an automatic three-grating system and recorded by a CCD/EMCCD detector. The precise scanning stage (TrueScan™ piezo with latency error correction) or motorized allows for the collection of 2D and 3D images at high speed. The system can be additionally equipped with the TrueSurface™ topography module for Raman imaging on rough surfaces.
Common limitations of Raman:
Multidisciplinary research (materials, biology, geology) requires a Raman system that handles various sample types and configurations. 3D imaging requires high confocality. Traditional Raman imaging takes too long. Rough samples cause blurring and chemical distribution distortion.
Advantages of the Alpha300 R system:
- Alpha300 R offers flexible configurations, from basic mapping to 3D imaging; AFM, SNOM, SEM, TERS can be added later.
- True confocal optical architecture with an adjustable pinhole, combined with high NA objectives, ensures excellent depth resolution.
- Fast Raman Imaging with a high-speed piezo stage (TrueScan™), allowing image acquisition in much shorter times compared to conventional systems.
- TrueSurface™ integrates an optical profilometer sensor, automatically maintaining focus according to the sample surface, creating Raman images closely following the topography in just one scan.
Integration & expansion
- Scanning stage: motorized (large area) and piezo (high-resolution, TrueScan™).
- Optional modules: TrueSurface™, polarization, RayShield (low-wavenumber), StrobeLock (FLIM), ParticleScout, TrueMatch™.
- Compatible with AFM, SNOM, TERS probes.