Target support with pattern recognition sites

• US 7,034,290 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Jennifer, Joyce, Timothy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Nikita
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hashmi, Zia R.
• Application Number:
  US10/949,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20060065828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 250/288
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0418 for laser desorption, e.g. matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation [MALDI] plates or surface enhanced laser desorption/ionisation [SELDI] plates

Abstract

The invention provides a substrate for use in an ion source of a mass spectrometer system. The substrate may be employed independently or in conjunction with an ion source or a mass spectrometry system. A substrate is provided having at least one pattern recognition site and a carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site. Methods of making and ionizing samples using the pattern recognition site and carbon nanotube surface are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A substrate for use in an ion source of a mass spectrometer system, comprising:

(a) an ionization surface on the substrate having at least one pattern recognition site; and

(b) a carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site at a predefined distance.

2. A substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein the pattern recognition site is etched into the surface of the substrate.

3. A substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein more than one pattern recognition site is position on the substrate surface.

4. An ion source for ionizing a sample, comprising:

(a) a substrate disposed in the ion source and having an ionization surface with at least one pattern recognition site; and

(b) a carbon nanotube attached to the substrate and adjacent to the pattern recognition site for holding a sample; and

(c) a laser for ionizing the sample on the carbon nanotube attached to the substrate.

5. An ion source as recited in claim 4, wherein the ion source comprises an AP-MALDI source.

6. An ion source as recited in claim 4, wherein the ion source comprises a MALDI ion source.

7. A mass spectrometry system comprising:

(a) an ion source comprising

(i) a substrate disposed in the ion source and having an ionization surface with at least one pattern recognition site; and

(ii) a carbon nanotube attached to the substrate and adjacent to the pattern recognition site for holding a sample;

(b) a laser for ionizing the sample on the carbon nanotube attached to the substrate; and

(c) a detector downstream from the ion source for detecting the ions produced by the ion source.

8. A mass spectrometry system as recited in claim 7, wherein the ion source comprises an AP-MALDI ion source.

9. A mass spectrometry system as recited in claim 7, wherein the ion source comprises a MALDI ion source.

10. A method of making a mass spectrometry ionization substrate comprising:

(a) providing a substrate;

(b) applying a metal containing polymer film to the substrate;

(c) etching into the substrate to generate a pattern recognition site; and

(d) generating a carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site.

11. A method of making an ion source, comprising

(a) providing a laser;

(b) providing a substrate;

(c) applying a metal containing polymer film to the substrate;

(d) etching into the substrate to generate a pattern recognition site; and

(e) generating a carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site.

12. A method of making a mass spectrometry system, comprising:

(a) providing an ion source comprising;

(i) a laser;

(ii) a substrate having a surface with at least one pattern recognition site; and

(iii) a carbon nanotube attached to the surface and adjacent to the pattern recognition site;

(b) providing a detector downstream from the ion source for detecting the ions produced by the ion source.

13. A method for ionizing a sample, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate having a surface with at least one pattern recognition site;

(b) applying a carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site′

(c) applying a sample to the carbon nanotube material adjacent to the pattern recognition site; and

(d) ionizing the sample on the carbon nanotube.

14. A method for ionizing a sample as recited in claim 13, wherein the ionization takes place by applying a laser beam to the sample on the carbon nanotube material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ionization takes place at high pressure.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the ionization takes place at low pressure.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the ionization takes place at a pressure of from about 760 to about 1,000 Torr.

18. A method for making an apparatus for biopolymer resonant tunneling, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate;

(b) applying a metal containing polymer film to the substrate;

(c) etching into the substrate to generate a pattern recognition site;

(d) generating carbon nanotube adjacent to the pattern recognition site; and

(e) sculpting a nanopore adjacent to the carbon nanotube to produce an apparatus for biopolymer resonant tunneling.