ABSTRACT
Raman spectroscopy is a form of vibrational spectroscopy that is finding an
ever-increasing degree of use in pharmaceutical investigations. Applications
include chemical structure elucidation (1), routine chemical identification (2),
and characterization of materials in the solid (3-5). Raman spectroscopy is
also applicable to drug product characterization within drug delivery devices
(6), contaminant analysis, drug-excipient interaction, and problem solving.
Analysis can be performed on virtually any type of sample, such as single crys-
tals, bulk materials, slurries, creams, particulates, films, solutions (aqueous and
organic), oils, gas-phase samples, and process streams (the latter through the
use of fiber optic probes). Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy is usual typically
nondestructive in nature, enabling the analyst to recover the sample for further
characterization.
