Functional wave time-lag focusing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer: improved mass accuracy

A strength of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry is its ability to analyze mixtures without separation. MALDI mass spectrometers capable of providing a linear mass calibration over a broad mass range should find wide use in these applications. This work addresses issues pertinent to mass measurement accuracy of a time-lag focusing MALDI time-of-flight instrument and presents a new approach to improving mass accuracy by using a functional wave extraction pulse, instead of a square wave, for time-lag focusing. A model is described of an ideal extraction pulse shape that provides constant total kinetic energy for all ions. If total kinetic energy is constant, then there is an exact linear correlation between ion mass and flight time raised to the second power. Using a descending wave extraction pulse, it is demonstrated that mass accuracy of better than 30 ppm using two internal calibrants and better than 70 ppm using external calibrants can be obtained over a 25 ku mass range. The practical aspects of an instrument needed to obtain consistent mass accuracy is discussed. It is found that ion flight time shows a small dependence upon laser flux; flight times increase slightly as the flux increases. But this dependence is much smaller than is observed in continuous-extraction MALDI.