The aim is to provide the users with the necessary knowledge to safely operate the instruments of the Vibrational Spectroscopy Platform on their own, without supervision. The instruments include FTIR and Raman spectrometers as well as OPTIR and Raman microscopes, and the course covers applications from biology and medicine to chemistry and physics, such as high-throughput chemotyping, chemical imaging of biological tissues, surface sensitive measurements of minerals, and the analysis of compositional changes in a range of materials from bacteria to semiconductors.

Users should be able to demonstrate during the course practice that they are able to perform measurements safely in order to gain their Licences. The licence grants access to the online booking system and allows the user to run measurements without the supervision of the facility manager. The licence is valid until retraction.

Course layout
Day 1
Theoretical background: infrared and Raman spectroscopies. An introduction to the techniques, their short historical developments, their basis on molecular vibrations, symmetry, and the spectra-structure correlations. Full-day, lectures.

Day 2
Different measurement techniques: diffuse reflectance infrared, attenuated total reflectance infrared, optical photothermal infrared, Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, including imaging (raster scanning and streamline). Advantages and limitations, usage and capabilities, capacities. Full day, lectures.

Day 3
Software for FT-IR (OPUS), OPTIR (PTIR Studio) and Raman (WiRE) spectroscopy. How to perform basic spectral manipulations, such as baseline correction, normalization, spectral subtractions, etc. Available automation in forms of macros. Additional data handling, including exporting spectra to Excel, extracting spectra from images, image manipulations (integration methods, etc.). Common artefacts and errors. Full day, lectures.

Day 4
FT-IR spectroscopy practice. Each participant should perform all of the following: 1) single spectra diffuse reflectance measurement; 2) automated carousel diffuse reflectance measurement; 3) attenuated total reflectance measurement. Participants should have hands-on experience to learn how to safely operate the instruments, to recognise the problems that can arise during measurement and perform simple troubleshooting. Full day, laboratory practice, in groups of 3 people at a time per instrument (parallel groups)

Day 5
Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, OPTIR microscopy practice: Each participant should perform all of the following: 1) single spot OPTIR + Raman measurement; 2) multiple point / array OPTIR + Raman measurement; 3) Single band OPTIR and hyperspectral OPTIR + Raman imaging; 4) Single spot Raman spectroscopy measurement; 5) Raman raster scanning measurement; 6) Raman Streamline measurement. Full day, laboratory practice, in groups of 3 people at a time per instrument (parallel groups)

Days 4 and 5 start with laboratory safety instructions and platform rules and general policies.