Probing single molecules and molecular aggregates: Raman spectroscopic advances

Development of Raman spectroscopy, profiting from surface-enhanced Raman scattering and tip-enhanced Raman scattering techniques, has inspired extensive research interest for trace analysis and dynamic measurements up to single-molecule level. For another, Raman spectroscopy has also been recognized of significance in solving some important issues relating to molecule aggregates in chemistry and biology, owing to the capability of non-destructive detection and high-resolution fingerprints by which molecules and their aggregates can be identified. Herein, we summarize the recent progress of Raman spectroscopy in probing single molecules and molecular aggregates and block out a future prospective of Raman spectroscopy applied in cluster science. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.