Pushing the limit of confocal polarized Raman microscopy

Raman microscopy has emerged as a powerful technique to characterize anisotropic materials with sub micro meter resolution. The use of polarized light allows one to obtain precise information about the local organization of the relevant molecular groups through the determination of the most probable distribution function. Such polarization analysis can be conducted under a confocal microscope, but caution must be exercised because of the use of objectives of high numerical value. The molecular orientation can be effectively correlated with the topography of the sample when atomic force microscopy experiments are conducted on the same object. In the present review paper, we present Raman imaging results that have been conducted on mesostructured polymer surfaces and on a single isolated semiconductor nanowire.Key words: Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, orientation parameters, azopolymers, nanowires.