RISØ

Optics and Fluid Dynamics Department

And The Graduate School in Nonlinear Science

SEMINAR

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Mass Spectrometry

with a Tunable, Ultrashort-Pulse Mid-Infrared Laser

Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) has become a standard tool for mass analysis of proteins, and shows considerable promise for use with oligonucleotides, in genome sequencing. Further progress, however, is likely to depend both on technical developments (better matrices, more appropriate laser hardware) and better sample preparation. In this talk, I shall explore the promise, and the problems, associated with the use of mid-infrared, picosecond and femtosecond infrared lasers for MALDI. Results from our laboratory show that the vibrational infrared has great promise for routine mass spectrometry; there is also a good possibility that tunable, solid-state femtosecond lasers in the vibrational infrared can be used for MALDI. Finally, some ``Grand Challenge'' problems in mass spectrometry are considered in the light of what one knows about laser-surface interactions in the mid-infrared.