System and method for laser assisted sample transfer to solution for chemical analysis

1. A system for extracting an analyte from a specimen, comprising:

a specimen stage comprising a desorption region that is transparent to a radiation wavelength (λ);

a sampling probe for delivering a solvent to a position above said specimen stage, for statically suspending the solvent above said specimen stage, and for removing the solvent from the specimen stage; and

a laser source for emitting a laser beam centered at said radiation wavelength (λ) toward said specimen stage, wherein said laser source and said sampling probe are on opposite sides of a primary surface of said specimen stage.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a focusing lens between said laser source and said specimen stage for focusing said laser beam.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising: an analytical instrument for determining a chemical composition of an analyte in a testing solution comprising said solvent.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said solvent is in fluid communication with said analytical instrument.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said analytical instrument is a mass spectrometer, an ionization source, a separation method, or a combination thereof.

6. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a stepper mechanism configured to sequentially direct said laser beam at a plurality of target sites of a specimen supported by said specimen stage.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said stepper mechanism is further configured to provide relative motion between said specimen stage and said sampling probe.

8. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a testing device, wherein said stepper mechanism is configured (i) to sequentially position said sampling probe to capture an analyte that is laser desorbed from each of a plurality of target sites with a suspended solvent to form a testing solution and (ii) to discharge said testing solution to said testing device.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein said testing solution is discharged from a distal end of said sampling probe.

10. A method of extracting an analyte from a specimen, comprising:

providing a specimen supported by a desorption region of a specimen stage;

desorbing an analyte from a target site of a specimen with a laser beam centered at a radiation wavelength (λ); and

delivering a solvent to a position above the specimen stage, statically suspending the solvent above the specimen stage, capturing said desorbed analyte with the statically suspended solvent to form a testing solution, and removing the testing solution from a position above the specimen stage, wherein said delivering, suspending, and removing steps are performed with a sampling probe, and wherein said desorption region is transparent to said radiation wavelength (λ), and wherein said specimen and a laser source emitting said laser beam are on opposite sides of a primary surface of said specimen stage.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising analyzing a chemical composition of said desorbed analyte.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

repeating the desorbing, capturing and analyzing steps for each of a plurality of target sites of said specimen.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising plotting a property of a chemical component for each of said plurality of target sites.