We have established several applications for the use of Raman spectroscopy in the microelectronics-manufacturing environment. The two primary applications are 1) monitoring thin films and 2) analyzing contaminants. Thin film applications include monitoring cobalt silicide phase transformation and thickness, and crystallinity changes in polysilicon. The same instrument has been used to collect fingerprint Raman spectra of contaminants that can be identified by matching to library or bulk materials spectra.