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Raman instrumentation design has improved radically in efficiency and ease of use over the past 15 years. New technologies made this possible with introduction of the first commercial high-efficiency (high speed) Raman systems incorporating low power lasers. Systems were introduced for the first time on production and process lines. Higher efficiency systems have continued to evolve, as a result of novel engineering solutions. Raman-near field optical systems and Raman-SEM (scanning electron microscopy) combinations have created a new area of nanoscale spectroscopic measurements. New application areas are: (a) semiconductor processing; (b) pharmaceutical drug processing; (c) gemology; (d) narcotic and explosives forensic detection; (e) coatings on computer hard disks and read heads; (f) endoscopic and Raman detection of oesophageal and other types of cancer. Comparisons are made with competing optical and alternative instrumentation techniques for general Raman work and the applications.