Compact Tunable Mid-IR/UV Laser/Ion source for IR MALDI

OPOTEK和埃默里大学的这项第二阶段STTR合作研究计划的目标是继续开发基于光学参量振荡器(OPO)技术的小型且廉价的红外激光器，并开发专门为液体基质IR-MALDI设计的靶标系统。这套红外激光和离子源是为高端MALDI质谱仪设计的，将允许用户在IR和UV MALDI模式之间快速切换。这项研究分为两个部分：基于我们的第一阶段激光系统的IR/UV激光器的开发；以及IR-MALDI离子源的开发，该光源被发现是从液体基质中进行IR-MALDI的理想实验条件。与UV MALDI相比，IR MALDI具有优势的商业分析应用领域包括分析高质量DNA、分析其他高分子量生物分子(100-500 kDa)、从凝胶印迹或直接从细胞或组织样本分析生物聚合物，以及分析药物和其他低分子分子(200-1500 kDa)。我们将努力优化我们的激光源包，以提高这些领域的性能。建议的商业应用：对用于基质辅助激光解吸电离(MALDI)质谱仪的小型且廉价的红外光源的需求很大。紧凑型IR OPO无论是作为独立的改装单元还是作为新质谱仪的选件，其商业应用包括分析高质量DNA和蛋白质、凝胶分离蛋白质、低分子物种、直接液体导入和冰冻组织切片。

The goal of this Phase II STTR cooperative research program between OPOTEK and Emory University is to continue development of a small and inexpensive infrared laser based on optical parametric oscillator (OPO) technology and to develop a target system specifically designed for liquid matrix IR-MALDI. This package of IR laser and ion source is designed for high-end MALDI mass spectrometers, and will allow the user to switch rapidly between IR and UV MALDI modes. The research is divided into two sections: development of the IR/UV laser based on our Phase I laser system; and development of and ion source for IR- MALDI, tailored to the experimental conditions that were found to be ideal for IR-MALDI from liquid matrices. Open areas for commercial analytical applications where IR MALDI has advantages over UV MALDI include analysis of high-mass DNA, the analysis of other high molecular weight biomolecules (100 - 500 kDa), analysis of biopolymers from gel blots or directly from cell or tissue samples, and the analysis of pharmaceuticals and other low molecular weight molecules (200 - 1500 Da). Work will be performed to try to optimize our laserlon-source package for performance in these areas. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The need for small and inexpensive IR light sources for matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is great. Commercial applications for the compact IR OPO either as a stand alone retrofit unit or as an option for new mass spectrometers include analysis of high mass DNA and proteins, gel separated proteins, low molecular weight species, direct liquid introduction and frozen tissue sections.