The simplest method of these involves a step of pipetting a solution containing analyte and matrix in a droplet onto a metal (e.g., stainless steel) sample support plate. Various methods are known for applying the sample and matrix to a sample plate. The matrix is an energy absorbing substance which absorbs energy from the laser beam thereby enabling analyte to desorb from the sample plate.
The desorbed ions are then mass analyzed in the mass spectrometer. Photon bombardment causes the matrix and the analyte to be desorbed and ionized without substantially fragmenting the analyte. The MALDI sample plate is then inserted into a mass spectrometer and laser beam is directed to the sample plate. In the drying process, crystal growth of the matrix is induced and analyte molecules become co-crystallized with the matrix. In MALDI mass spectrometry, analyte is mixed with a matrix solution and deposited on a MALDI sample plate for subsequent drying and crystallization. Normally, biomolecules are in an aqueous solution, but is not uncommon for these important building blocks to be dissolved in solutions that contain varying levels of organic solvents (such as acetonitrile), particularly when reversed phase chromatography is used for isolation and fractionation of complex mixtures of these molecules. For the most part, time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOF-MS) are used for this purpose, but ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) spectrometers or Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometers as well as high-frequency quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometers, and hybrid quadrupole time of flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometers are all applicable for these applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sample plate useful in MALDI mass spectrometry having a patterned hydrophobic organosilane coating layer and at least a central portion formed on the surface and a process for manufacturing and using the sample plate.įor the analysis of large molecules such as DNA, peptides, proteins and other biomolecules, mass spectrometry with MALDI is a standard method. The present invention relates to a sample plate useful in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry and a process for manufacturing and using the sample plate. 15, 2005, in the Korean Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION 7, 2006, which claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Application No. This application is a continuation-in-part application of a PCT Intentional Application, PCT/KR 2006/000445, filed in Feb.