Mass spectrometry with laser ablation
A mass spectrometric analysis of surface material is performed by vaporizing the surface material with pulses of laser light and then collecting the vaporized material by dissolving it in a liquid. The liquid with the dissolved material is then fed to an ionization process, preferably an electrospray ionization process. The resulting ions are then analyzed with a mass spectrometer. The method is particularly suited for use with imaging mass spectrometry.
1. A method for mass spectrometric analysis of surface material comprising:
(a) vaporizing the surface material at a removal site by pulses of laser light;
(b) dissolving molecules of vaporized material in a liquid at an collection site; and
(c) providing the liquid containing the dissolved molecules to an ion source.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid at the collection site has an open surface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid at the collection site is covered by a permeable membrane.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid at the collection site is covered by a porous material.
5. The method of one of claims 1 - 4 , wherein step (a) comprises focusing the pulses of laser light onto the removal site by a lens.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ion source is an electrospray ion source.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the electrospray ion source is a nano-electrospray ion source having a capillary and wherein the capillary has an opening with a diameter of 2 to 10 micrometers.
8. The method of one of claims 1 - 4 , wherein step (a) comprises focusing the pulses of laser light onto the removal site by a near field.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ion source is an electrospray ion source.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrospray ion source is a nano-electrospray ion source having a capillary and wherein the capillary has an opening with a diameter of 2 to 10 micrometers.