Raman Temperature Measurement

We are examining the experimental tradeoffs for the use of the spontaneous Raman Stokes/anti-Stokes intensity ratio as a fundamental temperature measurement at static and dynamic extreme conditions. The tradeoff space includes spatial resolution and temperature range versus vibrational frequency, as well as heating of the sample and nonlinear damage caused by the excitation laser. The experiments are being performed under a range of experimental conditions from picoseconds to seconds and from cryogenic (77 K) to elevated (ca. 1000 K) temperatures. The results are being compared to calculations for transparent metal oxide, polymer, and inorganic materials, with the aim to demonstrate their potential as temperature reporters when used as thin windows on opaque materials.