Mass spectrometry with laser ablation

• US 7,910,881 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruker Daltonik GmbH (Bruker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bruker Daltonik GmbH (Bruker Corporation)
• Inventors: Nikolaev, Evgenij, Franzen, Jochen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore; David A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASKELL, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US11/943,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20080128614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 250/288, 250/281, 250/282
• US Class Current: 250/288
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/045 Laser ablation; Microwave vaporisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/383 collecting and diluting in a flow of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0463 Desorption by laser or particle beam, followed by ionisation as a separate step sample holder per se H01J49/0418
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/165 Electrospray ionisation

Abstract

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.

Claims

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.