ReRaM System 3
- Published in Facilities
“ReRaM S3” (Remote Raman Microscope System 3) is a ultra-compact remote LRM that rests in front the servo-hydraulic testing frame and is used in collecting real-time spectra from fibres loaded in air or embedded in composite materials. It then transfers the collected spectra to a distant spectrometer (Model 1000M Single Monochromator, SPEX, SPEX Industries Inc., Edison, NJ) using polarization-preserving fibre optics.
S3 features an integrated miniature diode-pumped solid-state laser source of the Raman microscope (custom-built by Dilor/Jobin Yvon SAS, Lille, France) transmitting a monochromatic radiation at 532 nm with a 50 mW of power. The power of the incident radiation can be adjusted between 0.5 and 13.8 mW by means of various density filters. Different objective lenses are used to adjust the microscope’s magnification power between ×4 and ×80 thus allowing both macroscopical observation of the mechanical testing procedure as well as high resolution spectroscopic measurements. The polarization of the excitation radiation can be set to horizontal, vertical or circular, as can also be deactivated.
The system is mounted on a micro-translational stage able to travel the microscope in discrete steps of 1 μm in three dimensions to facilitate focusing of the laser beam on distinct fibres during mechanical testing. The spectroscopic signal is transferred to the spectrometer with the aim of a fibre optic cable where it was analyzed in terms of Raman wavenumber shifts.
Coupled with the testing frame and thermal camera, S3 is a powerful as well as unique experimental setup.