Infrared & Raman Users Group

IRUG is a community that encourages the sharing of high quality comparative reference spectral data.

We develop IR and Raman reference spectra for the study of works of art, architecture, and archaeological materials. Our database is peer-reviewed through a rigorous process facilitated by this website.

Anyone may search the database to view and print spectra. To access digital spectra and related information, you must join IRUG and contribute spectra. Click the button below to begin registration when you are ready to contribute spectra.

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Featured Spectra

Save the Date for the IRUG16 Conference & Workshop!

Date: October 6-9, 2026

Location: Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Delaware, US

The Infrared and Raman Users Group is excited to announce its 16th International Conference (IRUG16), set for October 6-9, 2026. This signature event is being organized and hosted by the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur, Delaware, US.

Call for Papers and Posters:

Submissions for papers and posters are invited on all aspects of IR and Raman spectroscopies, as well as their application to the study and preservation of cultural heritage.

Hands-On Workshop:

An optional hands-on workshop on portable FTIR instrumentation will be offered, covering aspects of data acquisition, processing, and interpretation.

Stay Tuned:

More information regarding abstract submission guidelines, registration details, and key deadlines will be announced soon. For questions or inquiries, please contact the organizers, Rosie Grayburn and Catherine Matsen, at irug16@winterthur.org.

We look forward to welcoming you to IRUG16 at the Winterthur Museum in 2026!

The Conservatory, Henry Francis du Pont Mansion, Winterthur, Delaware, US

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We are pleased to share highlights from the IRUG15 Conference & Workshop.

Date: 26-29 September 2023

Location: Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo, Japan

Hosted by the Conservation Science Laboratory at the Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) and the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (Tobunken), and organized by Boris Pretzel and Masahiko Tsukada, the conference was a resounding success! Presentations took place at Tobunken, and the workshop on reflectance infrared techniques was led by Dr. Marcello Picollo (IFAC, Italy), with additional instruction from Dr. Suzan de Groot (RCE, The Netherlands) and Professor Manfred Schreiner (Akbild, Austria).

Dr. James A. de Haseth, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, University of Georgia, US, delivered the keynote address on the theory and challenges of reflectance mode infrared spectroscopies. We are grateful for the generous support provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific, our Silver-level sponsor, as well as our Bronze-level sponsors: Bruker, Nanophoton, PhotoThermal/Nihon Thermal Consulting, Shimadzu, and ST Japan.

Support provided by: