OPTIMIZATION OF TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS SPECTROSCOPY

提出了一种改进基体辅助激光解吸/电离（MALDI）飞行时间（TOF）质谱分析性能的新技术。这种新方法可以大大扩展线性光谱仪的高分辨率质量范围，从而使TOF在分析复杂的重生物分子混合物方面更加有用。我们的数值计算表明，一个简单的线性TOF光谱仪的性能可以提高到更复杂和昂贵的反射系统的水平。本文提出了一种在不改变现有结构的情况下优化线性飞行时间（TOF）光谱仪性能的新方法。在第一阶段，我们将使用这项技术来改进TDA研究公司目前的光谱仪，以实验证明该概念的可行性。建议的商业应用：该技术将通过使用廉价的附加设备对TOF质谱仪进行重大改进。增加的高分辨率质量范围将使TOF-MS成为分析生物分子的更有力的工具。

The development of a new technique to improve the performance of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry is proposed. This new method could significantly extend the high resolution mass range of linear spectrometers, and would therefore make TOF much more useful for the analysis of complex mixtures of heavy biomolecules. Our numerical calculations show that the performance of a simple, linear TOF spectrometer can be improved to the level of the much more complex and expensive reflection systems. This proposal describes a new approach for optimizing the performance of linear time-of-flight (TOF) spectrometers without alterations to the existing structure. During Phase I we will use this technique to improve TDA Research Inc.'s current spectrometer to experimentally show the feasibility of the concept. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: This technology will offer significant improvements to TOF mass spectrometers through the use of an inexpensive add-on device. The increased high resolution mass range will then make TOF-MS a more powerful tool for the analysis of biomolecules.