A spectroscopic Raman probe, comprising: a spectroscopic probe head including an input fiber, in particular a multi mode optical fiber, and a collimating lens having an aperture for collimating and focusing a counter-propagating excitation and collection beam, wherein the input fiber is directed to the collimating lens; an end opticcomprising: an optical support structure embodied as a hollow tube, having a proximal end and a distal end defining a length, wherein the proximal end of the optical support structure interfaces to the spectroscopic probe head such that the optical support structure is embodied to guide a counter-propagating excitation-collection beam to and from a sample; an optical interface disposed at the distal end of the optical support structure, including a focusing objective having an aperture for focusing the excitation-collection beam at a focus point in the sample immediately adjacent to the optical interface; and a first intermediate lens disposed between the probe head and the focusing objective at the proximal end of the optical support structure, wherein the first intermediate lens is supported by the optical support structure and embodied to minimize overfilling of the focusing objective aperture with the excitation-collection beam and reduce vignetting, a second intermediate lens disposed between the first intermediate length and the focusing objective, wherein the first intermediate lens and a second intermediate lens are embodied to maximize coupling of energy between the input fiber and the sample in both directions, and wherein a sample focus at the focus point is a relayed image of the input fiber, characterized in that the focal length of first intermediate lens is selected to image the fiber at or near the second intermediate lens; and in that the focal length of the second intermediate lens is embodied to image the collimating lens aperture beyond the focusing objective, so that the focusing objective is neither overfilled nor underfilled. a spectroscopic probe head including an input fiber, in particular a multi mode optical fiber, and a collimating lens having an aperture for collimating and focusing a counter-propagating excitation and collection beam, wherein the input fiber is directed to the collimating lens; an end opticcomprising: an optical support structure embodied as a hollow tube, having a proximal end and a distal end defining a length, wherein the proximal end of the optical support structure interfaces to the spectroscopic probe head such that the optical support structure is embodied to guide a counter-propagating excitation-collection beam to and from a sample; an optical interface disposed at the distal end of the optical support structure, including a focusing objective having an aperture for focusing the excitation-collection beam at a focus point in the sample immediately adjacent to the optical interface; and a first intermediate lens disposed between the probe head and the focusing objective at the proximal end of the optical support structure, wherein the first intermediate lens is supported by the optical support structure and embodied to minimize overfilling of the focusing objective aperture with the excitation-collection beam and reduce vignetting, a second intermediate lens disposed between the first intermediate length and the focusing objective, wherein the first intermediate lens and a second intermediate lens are embodied to maximize coupling of energy between the input fiber and the sample in both directions, and wherein a sample focus at the focus point is a relayed image of the input fiber, characterized in that the focal length of first intermediate lens is selected to image the fiber at or near the second intermediate lens; and in that the focal length of the second intermediate lens is embodied to image the collimating lens aperture beyond the focusing objective, so that the focusing objective is neither overfilled nor underfilled. an optical support structure embodied as a hollow tube, having a proximal end and a distal end defining a length, wherein the proximal end of the optical support structure interfaces to the spectroscopic probe head such that the optical support structure is embodied to guide a counter-propagating excitation-collection beam to and from a sample; an optical interface disposed at the distal end of the optical support structure, including a focusing objective having an aperture for focusing the excitation-collection beam at a focus point in the sample immediately adjacent to the optical interface; and a first intermediate lens disposed between the probe head and the focusing objective at the proximal end of the optical support structure, wherein the first intermediate lens is supported by the optical support structure and embodied to minimize overfilling of the focusing objective aperture with the excitation-collection beam and reduce vignetting, a second intermediate lens disposed between the first intermediate length and the focusing objective, wherein the first intermediate lens and a second intermediate lens are embodied to maximize coupling of energy between the input fiber and the sample in both directions, and wherein a sample focus at the focus point is a relayed image of the input fiber, characterized in that the focal length of first intermediate lens is selected to image the fiber at or near the second intermediate lens; and in that the focal length of the second intermediate lens is embodied to image the collimating lens aperture beyond the focusing objective, so that the focusing objective is neither overfilled nor underfilled.