Patent ID: 7894056

Claim:
A Raman spectroscopy apparatus for analyzing a sample comprising: (a) a laser light source (b) a structure comprising a substrate, the substrate comprising porous silicon, porous polysilicon, or porous silicon carbide wherein the substrate surface that is capable of receiving light from the light source does not have a metal layer disposed upon it capable of causing surface enhanced Raman scattering in a sample to be analyzed, wherein the structure further comprises a channel through which a sample to be analyzed is capable of passing, and the channel comprises a metallic coating (c) an optics assembly for directing light from the light source onto the substrate, for collecting Raman scattered light from the sample, or for both; and, (d) a spectroscopic analyzer capable of producing an electronic signal proportional to an intensity of Raman scattered light in a fixed wavelength range or as a function of wavelength and capable of receiving Raman scattered light from the sample; and, (e) logic to determine the identity of an analyte in the sample to be analyzed from the electronic signal.