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

OPOTEK和埃默里大学之间的第二阶段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）技术的小型廉价红外激光器，并开发专门为液体基质IR-MALDI设计的目标系统。这套红外激光器和离子源专为高端MALDI质谱仪而设计，允许用户在红外和紫外MALDI模式之间快速切换。该研究分为两个部分：基于我们的第一阶段激光系统的IR/UV激光器的开发;以及用于IR-MALDI的离子源的开发，其根据被发现对于来自液体基质的IR-MALDI是理想的实验条件而定制。IR MALDI比UV MALDI具有优势的商业分析应用的开放领域包括高质量DNA的分析、其他高分子量生物分子（100 - 500 kDa）的分析、来自凝胶印迹或直接来自细胞或组织样品的生物聚合物的分析以及药物和其他低分子量分子（200 - 1500 Da）的分析。将进行工作，试图优化我们的激光源包在这些领域的性能。拟议的商业应用：基质辅助激光解吸电离（MALDI）质谱法需要小而便宜的红外光源。紧凑型IR OPO的商业应用包括分析高质量DNA和蛋白质、凝胶分离蛋白质、低分子量物质、直接液体导入和冷冻组织切片，可作为独立的改装装置或新型质谱仪的选件。

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.