Fluorescence Imaging of Large Molecules in the Gas Phase Generated by Laser Desorption

Abstract

Lasers have been used since 1962 to vaporize small amounts of solid inorganic material. More recently their use to vaporize (desorb) large thermally labile organic molecules has grown. The larger and more polar the molecule, the more difficult it is to volatilize it by traditional means without thermal degradation. Very promising is matrix assisted laser desorption, which can produce large gas-phase molecules without fragmentation. Analytical measurements can then be performed on large molecules in the gas phase.