Raman scattering is a fundamental form of molecular spectroscopy. Together with infrared (IR) absorption, Raman scattering is used to obtain information about the structure and properties of molecules from their vibrational transitions.

Raman scattering is a two-photon event in which the property involved is the change in the polarizability of the molecule. The interaction of the polarizability with the incoming radiation creates an induced dipole moment in the molecule, and the radiation emitted by this induced dipole moment contains the observed Raman scattering. The light scattered by the induced dipole of the molecule consists both Rayleigh scattering and Raman scattering. Rayleigh scattering corresponds to the light scattered at the frequency of the incident radiation, whereas the Raman radiation is shifted in frequency, and hence energy, from the frequency of the incident radiation by the vibrational energy that is lost (Stokes Raman) or gained (Antistokes Raman) in the molecule.

Renishaw inVia system is equipped with the Leica DMIRBE inverted optical microscope. inVia Raman Microscope offers two laser excitation sources at 514 nm and 785 nm, respectively. This highly collimated, monochromatic light illuminates on a sample through a Leica objective and the Raman scattered light from the sample is collected by an objective, analyzed through inVia Spectrometer, and focused on a CCD camera.