C.V. Raman's Exploration in Optics -- A Spectrum of History

Abstract

C.V. Raman (1888-1970) was one of the pioneering scientists to have emerged from India during the colonial era. His scientific explorations were driven by his curiosity to understand wave phenomena. Naturally, optics and related physical effects were at the heart of such an exploration. Apart from his Nobel prize-winning discovery of the Raman effect, his research included topics such as oblique diffraction, light scattering from liquids and amorphous solids, classical and quantum nature of light, acousto-optics, haloes and coronae (speckles), crystal dynamics and soft modes, optics of minerals, floral colors, physiology of vision and many other aspects related to light in natural settings. In this article, I give a historical overview of some of the work by C.V. Raman and his group that had a direct connection to optics and optical spectroscopy.