UV-laser ablation of ionic liquid matrices

Ionic liquid matrices are a new class of matrices used in MALDI mass spectrometry. The ablation process of several ionic liquid matrices was studied by determining the velocity distribution of ablated neutral matrix molecules. This was done by a postionization approach, where the neutrals were ionized in the ablation plume by a second laser pulse. It was found that a second, time-delayed ablation event occurs consisting completely of neutral molecules. To explain this, the reflected-shockwave model is used, which assumes that the shockwave emerging from the laser ablation is reflected at the sample holder surface. When the shockwave arrives at the sample surface it causes a second ablation.