Despite the large number of works on Raman spectroscopy of human hair, there is a lack of information about the methodology of experiments and the reliability of the data obtained. There are various experimental configurations in which the sample is positioned differently relative to the exciting radiation, and the published spectral data differ from each other. The question arises about the influence of the sample orientation on the measured Raman spectra. We compare the Raman spectra of a human hair measured in horizontal (exciting beam is perpendicular to the hair axis) and vertical (exciting beam and hair are coaxial) configurations. Along with the differences in the spectra, which result from molecular changes, the differences related to the polarization sensitivity of hairs were identified. To obtain cross-sections of the hair, we have developed the method based on freezing the sample in liquid nitrogen, which does not require microtomes and fixing agents.
33.20.Fb Raman and Rayleigh spectra
$^1$Moscow State University, Physics Faculty
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