Long-Wavelength Dispersive 1064 nm Handheld Raman

Pharmaceuticals manufactures the world over are seeking more efficient ways to perform raw material analysis while complying with stringent global regulations. Recent innovations in instrument miniaturization have enabled manufacturers to perform lab-quality analysis at any point in their production process, enabling stronger quality programs that comply with stringent regulations and achieving quality goals that ensure consumer safety and product efficacy. The ability for manufacturers to bring the lab to the sample creates efficiency in material throughput allowing manufacturers to quickly receive materials and confidently put them straight through to production.

The implementation of handheld Raman analyzers has the potential to make the verification process of pharmaceutical raw materials more efficient and effective. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for compound identification due to its specificity and ability to perform nondestructive analysis through sealed packaging. Raman analysis produces compound specific spectra and enables the accurate identification and verification of a broad range of chemical compounds.

However, many common pharmaceutical materials show significant fluorescence when using a Raman spectrometer with 532 nm or 785 nm laser excitation. This fluorescence reduces the signal and can significantly increase the acquisition time, reducing the number of peaks available for material verification and identification.

Figure 1: This image shows the spectra collected from a single sample at both 1064 nm and 785 nm excitation. When 1064 nm excitation was used, very clear Raman bands are seen and these bands allow for definitive identification of the sample.

Due to this chronic fluorescence interference, many analyzers operating at 785 nm can only verify a fraction of common materials used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical and consumer good products. The Rigaku Raman FirstGuard™ with 1064 nm can minimize, and often eliminate, fluorescence issues for most sample types providing broader compound coverage.

Figure 2: Rigaku Raman Technologies FirstGuard 1064 nm handheld Raman analyzer performing material identification through amber glass.

FirstGuard™ is the first handheld Raman analyzer available in 1064, 785, or 532 nm laser excitation to meet the requirements of varying pharmaceutical material verification and analysis needs. FirstGuard uses proprietary software that combines an open architecture platform withuser defined settings, enabling control over the quality of methods that result in reliable and actionable Pass-Fail results. The 1064 nm model's cooled InGaAs detector allows for better signal to noise ratio over standard CCD detectors used in other closed 785 nm systems, and our exclusive volume holographic phase transmission grating, with 95% spectral efficiency, delivers optimal sensitivity.

Rigaku Raman Technologies

2700 E. Executive Drive, Suite 150, Tucson, AZ 85756

tel. (408) 705-6560, fax (520) 547-4073

Website: www.rigaku.com/solutions