Method for identifying a set of candidate substances using a raman spectroscopy device, a raman spectroscopy device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

A Raman spectroscopy device comprising:

• a spectrometer,
• circuitry configured to execute:
• an exposure time setting function configured to set an exposure time of the spectrometer,
• a recording function configured to record a Raman spectrum of a sample using the spectrometer being set to the exposure time,
• a Raman peak identifying function configured to identify a Raman peak having a largest intensity of at least one Raman peak of the Raman spectrum,
• a Raman shift determining function configured to identify a Raman shift of the identified Raman peak in the Raman spectrum, and
• a Raman shift comparing function configured to compare the Raman shift against a database comprising entries correlating substances with information associated with Raman shifts of the substances, thereby identifying a set of candidate substances, wherein each candidate substance in the set of candidate substances has a Raman shift corresponding to the Raman shift,
• wherein the circuitry is further configured to reduce the set of candidate substances by executing:
• a further exposure time setting function configured to set a further exposure time of the Raman spectroscopy device, the further exposure time being longer than the exposure time,
• a further Raman spectrum recording function configured to record a further Raman spectrum of the sample using the Raman spectroscopy device being set to the further exposure time,
• an identifying function configured to identify, while excluding wavelengths associated with identified Raman peaks, a further Raman peak in the further Raman spectrum, the further Raman peak having a largest intensity of Raman peaks in the further Raman spectrum,
• a further Raman shift determining function configured to determine a further Raman shift of the further Raman peak in the further Raman spectrum,
• a comparing function configured to compare the further Raman shift against entries of the database corresponding to the candidate set of substances, thereby identifying a subset of candidate substances, wherein each candidate substance in the subset of candidate substances has a Raman shift corresponding to the further Raman shift, and
• an excluding function configured to exclude, from the set of candidate substances, candidate substances not forming part of the subset of candidate substances, thereby reducing the set of candidate substances.