Site News  |   Monitor Keywords  |   Monitor Archive  |   Organizer  |   Account Info  |

Structured carbon nanotube tray for maldi plates

Structured carbon nanotube tray for maldi plates description/claims

In the preparation of samples for MALDI ionization, an analyte sample is typically intercalated in a matrix material on the surface of a support plate. A laser is then directed onto the targeted sample on the support plate in order to desorb energized matrix and analyte particles, which then causes ionization of the analytes through electron transfer reactions.

Carbon nanotubes have recently been used as a surface coating on MALDI sample target plates due to their exceptional physical and chemical properties, such as their hydrophobicity and their capacity to absorb ultraviolet radiation, which is the typical range of wavelengths used for the laser in the MALDI method. The carbon nanotubes are currently deposited over the target sample plate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which leaves a thin film of randomly ordered single or multi-walled carbon nanotubes that covers the entire exposed surface of the target plate. While the carbon nanotubes may be a useful material even in this spatially non-specific and relatively disordered state, it is believed that some of the beneficial properties of the carbon nanotubes are not necessarily being taken full advantage of in the MALDI process when used in this way.

The present invention provides a target support having a surface that includes structured nanotubes for holding a MALDI sample. The nanotubes may be structured spatially such that the nanotubes occupy a selected portion of the target support surface, and/or the nanotubes may be structured in terms of their alignment and orientation.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a mass spectrometer system that comprises an ion source for generating ions from a sample, a target support situated in the ion source having a surface for holding the sample, the surface including a structured carbon nanotube material, a laser for ionizing the sample on the structured carbon nanotube surface, and a detector situated downstream for the ion source for detecting the analyte ions.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an ion source for use in ionizing a sample that comprises an irradiating source for ionizating the sample to form analyte ions, and a target support having a surface for holding the sample, the surface including a structured carbon nanotube material.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of producing a target support having a surface including structured carbon nanotubes for holding a sample in an ionization source, the method comprising coating catalyst material over the surface of the target support, depositing carbon material over the catalyst material, removing catalyst material except over a selected portion of surface of the target support, growing carbon nanotubes from the carbon material over the selected portion including the catalyst material, and placing the sample on the carbon nanotubes.

In one implementation of the exemplary method of the present invention, the carbon nanotubes are grown such that they are aligned substantially either perpendicular or parallel to the surface of the target support.

FIG. 1 shows a general schematic diagram of a mass spectrometer system.

FIG. 2 shows a MALDI ion source according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3C, 3E and 3G show top views of successive stages of an exemplary method for fabricating structured nanotube-bearing target supports according to the present invention.

FIGS. 3B, 3D, 3F and 3H show successive cross-sectional views corresponding to the top views shown in FIGS. 3A, 3C, 3E and 3G, respectively.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary template used for aligning nanotubes according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary aligned nanotube array.

FIG. 6 is a magnified view showing sample material situated on aligned carbon nanotubes in a target support according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show successive stages of an exemplary method for fabricating horizontally aligned nanotubes on target supports according to the present invention.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

• What Is a Patent?
• What Is a Trademark or Servicemark?
• What Is a Copyright?
• Patent Laws