Raman effect

[ rah-muhn ]

noun

, Optics.

1. the change in wavelength of light scattered while passing through a transparent medium, the collection of new wavelengths Raman spectrum being characteristic of the scattering medium and differing from the fluorescent spectrum in being much less intense and in being unrelated to an absorption band of the medium.

Raman effect

/ ˈrɑːmən /

noun

1. a change in wavelength of light that is scattered by electrons within a material. The effect is used in Raman spectroscopy for studying molecules

Raman effect

1. The alteration of the frequency and the phase of light as it passes through a transparent medium. The Raman effect is caused by small differences between the energy of photons absorbed by the molecules that make up the medium and the energy of photons re-emitted.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Raman effect¹

First recorded in 1925–30; named after Sir C. Raman

Word History and Origins

Origin of Raman effect¹

C20: named after Sir Chandrasekhara Raman (1888–1970), Indian physicist

Example Sentences

I am completely charmed by this kid demonstrating the Raman Effect for his science fair project in India.

From Scientific American

"Historically, India has not done well in science-led innovation," according to Mashelkar, who noted that India's first and only science Nobel laureate, C. V. Raman, discovered the Raman effect but that commercialization—development of Raman spectrometers—took place in the West.

From Science Magazine

Although Raman spectroscopy is widely used for chemical and molecular analysis, its clinical application has been hindered by the inherently weak nature of the Raman effect.

From Science Magazine

Raman spectroscopy is an optical imaging method that is based on the Raman effect, the inelastic scattering of a photon when energy is absorbed from light by a surface.

From Science Magazine

The Raman effect, as it was called, became useful in determining fine molecular structure.

From Time Magazine Archive