Polarized measurements in Raman microscopy

Driven by the demand to understand and quantify the macroscopic properties of highly anisotropic systems, polarized vibrational spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable technique in material and surface sciences as well as in technology and biophysical fields. Polarized Raman spectroscopy and its association with confocal optical microscopy is of particular interest to describe and understand the macroscopic properties of a naturally ordered sample or material that underwent external stress during processing or under an external stimuli. In this review, we summarize a few Raman techniques and associated theoretical approaches to probe anisotropic materials.