Laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI) for atmospheric pressure, in vivo, and imaging mass spectrometry
The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI).
1. A laser ablation ionization device comprising:
a pulsed, mid-infrared laser to emit energy at a sample to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume;
a translation stage comprising a sample holder, wherein the sample is in the sample holder;
a focusing device to focus the laser energy onto a first side of the sample, wherein the ablation plume is generated on a second side of the sample;
an electrospray apparatus to produce an electrospray to intercept the ablation plume and generate ions; and
a mass spectrometer to detect the ions;
wherein the laser energy has a wavelength at an absorption band of an OH group; and
wherein the laser energy is coupled into the sample by water in the sample.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the translation stage comprises a three dimensional stage.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the focusing device comprises at least one of a lens and an optical fiber.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the lens comprises one of aspherical optics and near-field optics.
5. The device of claim 1 comprising a beam steering device to steer the laser energy onto the first side of the sample.
6. The device of claim 1 comprising a microscope to view at least one of the sample, electrospray, and ablation.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrospray apparatus is a nanospray apparatus.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ablation has no influence on the life cycle of the sample.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample is in its native environment.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample is at at least one of ambient conditions and atmospheric pressure.
11. A laser ablation ionization device comprising:
a pulsed, mid-infrared laser to emit energy at a sample to ablate the sample and generate an ablation plume;
a translation stage comprising a sample holder, wherein the sample is in the sample holder;
a focusing device to focus the laser energy onto a first side of the sample, wherein the ablation plume is generated on a second side of the sample;
an electrospray apparatus to produce an electrospray to intercept the ablation plume and generate ions; and
a mass spectrometer to detect the ions;
wherein the laser energy has a wavelength at an absorption band of one of an OH group; and
wherein the laser energy is coupled into the sample at the wavelength of the absorption band.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the translation stage comprises a three dimensional stage.
13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the focusing device comprises at least one of a lens and an optical fiber.
14. The device of claim 11 comprising a beam steering device to steer the laser energy onto the first side of the sample.
15. The device of claim 11 comprising a microscope to view at least one of the sample, electrospray, and ablation.
16. The device of claim 11 , wherein the electrospray apparatus is a nanospray apparatus.
17. The device of claim 11 , wherein the ablation has no influence on the life cycle of the sample.
18. A method of laser ablation ionization comprising:
focusing a mid-infrared laser pulse on a first side of a sample;
ablating the sample with the laser pulse to generate an ablation plume on a second side of the sample;
intercepting the ablation plume with an electrospray to generate ions; and
detecting the ions with a mass spectrometer;
wherein the laser pulse has a wavelength at an absorption band of an OH group; and
wherein the laser pulse is coupled into the sample at the wavelength of the absorption band.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the laser energy is coupled into the sample by water in the sample.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the electrospray is a nanospray.