ABSTRACT
Confocal Raman microscopy is an optical spectroscopic technique, which allows for the noninvasive measurement of chemical compounds in samples, without any previous labeling. One of the major advantages claimed for the use of Raman spectroscopy is the inexistent or minimal sample processing or staining procedures needed. The data acquired in a confocal Raman microscope contains different information such as spatial coordinates, spectral position; relative wavenumber or wavelength, intensity, and time. In the Raman spectrum, the background signals can be the resultant from the charge-coupled device (CCD) camera itself, the autofluorescence present in the sample and the contribution of the devices used for sample immobilization. Biological macromolecules display low Raman scattering cross sections together with high levels of autofluorescence, leading to a spectrum with low signal-to-noise ratio. Raman spectroscopy has drum up the interest in the biomedical and life-sciences fields recently due to its great informative potential regarding chemical composition.
