RESEARCH ARTICLE Raman spectroscopy analysis of new copper‐cysteamine photosensitizer Hussein Akafzade 1 | Suresh C. Sharma 1 | Nader Hozhabri 2 | Wei Chen 1 | Lun Ma 1 Physics Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 2 Nanotechnology Research Center, Shimadzu Institute University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas Correspondence Suresh C. Sharma, Physics Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019. Email: sharma@uta.edu Abstract Raman spectroscopy and several microstructure analysis techniques have been used to better characterize recently synthesized copper‐cysteamine Cu 3 Cl(SR) 2 , where R = CH 2 CH 2 NH 2 . Nanoparticles of this new copper‐ cysteamine have been identified as having potential applications in radiation detection and cancer treatment because of the fact that they can be activated by light, X‐rays, ultrasound, and microwave radiation to produce reactive oxygen species. Three samples were grown under different conditions, and their microstructure was examined by using Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray scattering, and X‐ray diffraction. The Raman spectroscopy and Fourier trans- form infrared measurements identify numerous Raman active and infrared absorption bonds with wavenumbers ranging from 200 to 3,500 cm -1 . Scanning electron microscopy scans show well‐faceted crystals varying in size from approximately 10 nm to 4 μm, energy dispersive X‐ray scattering measurements identify relative elemental composition (C = 48%, N = 37.5%, S = 5%, Cl = 2.6%, Cu = 7%), X‐ray diffraction data show the crystal plane spacing varies from 0.8454 to 0.8616 nm. The microstructure observed for the three samples is consistent with variations in the growth conditions. KEYWORDS cancer treatment, copper‐cysteamine, microstructure, optical spectroscopy of interatomic bonds, radiation detection 1 | INTRODUCTION Raman scattering is an extremely valuable technique to study important materials' properties, for example, immobilized proteins on biocompatible surfaces and self‐assembled monolayers on surface‐modified nanopar- ticles, as well as the nature of the chemical bonds in materials. In the particular case of the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering, cysteamine is widely used as linking agent at metal surfaces. [1,2] Selected examples include, studies of dopamine and uric acid by using gold modified with self‐assembled monolayer of cysteamine conjugated with functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, [3] studies of the formation of Au nanoflowers on cysteamine monolayer, [4] self‐assembled monolayers of DNA on cys- teamine modified Au (111) surface, [5] and cysteamine‐ induced protection of the gastric epithelial‐cell mono- layers against drug‐induced damage. [6] With active thiol and amino groups, cysteamine performs various physio- logical functions in the human body and is used in pharmaceutical applications. [7–9] The copper‐cysteamine (Cu‐Cy) complexes are considered suitable model Received: 7 September 2018 Revised: 21 November 2018 Accepted: 22 November 2018 DOI: 10.1002/jrs.5541 J Raman Spectrosc. 2018;1–6. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jrs 1