An image acquisition semiconductor film for a high-resolution mass spectrometric imaging system, and a preparation method and an application. The image acquisition semiconductor film for the high-resolution mass spectrometric imaging system is prepared by using the following method: weighing semiconductor nanometer particles, putting the semiconductor nanometer particles into a muffle furnace for burning first, further grinding by using an agate mortar, and uniformly dispersing the semiconductor nanometer particles so as to obtain semiconductor nanometer powder; and finally, pressing the semiconductor nanometer powder in a compressor so as to obtain the semiconductor film. Based on laser activated electron tunnelling as well as photoelectron capture ionization and dissociation, sample molecules are ionized without background interference; the limitation of a conventional MALDI substrate is overcome; the semiconductor film is simple and easy to obtain, is stable in mass spectrometric signal, has a uniform and smooth surface, generates no background interference, and can be used for fingerprint analyzing and animal and plant tissue slice analysis; and the semiconductor film is particularly suitable for accurate mass spectrometric imaging of small molecular substances, so that quality control and industrialization can be performed conveniently.

Methods for preparing a biological sample for testing by Maldi where such methods are selected based on sample parameters. Maldi scores are obtained for a range of sample parameters (e.g. McFarland, dispense volume and number of dispenses). From the data, sample preparation parameters can be selected for a biological sample being prepared for Maldi testing. One sample preparation strategy uses multiple dispenses of sample with an intervening drying step, which yields more accurate Maldi scores, particularly for samples at the low range of McFarland values (e.g. below about 2).

A sample support is a sample support used for ionizing components of a sample, and includes: a substrate including a first surface, a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of through holes opening to the first surface and the second surface; a conductive layer provided at least on the first surface; and a derivatizing agent provided to the plurality of through holes to derivatize the components.

The present invention relates to the high resolution imaging of samples using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) and to the imaging of biological samples by imaging mass cytometry (IMCTM) in which labelling atoms are detected by IMS. LA-ICP-MS (a form of IMS in which the sample is ablated by a laser, the ablated material is then ionised in an inductively coupled plasma before the ions are detected by mass spectrometry) has been used for analysis of various substances, such as mineral analysis of geological samples, analysis of archaeological samples, and imaging of biological substances. However, traditional LA-ICP-MS systems and methods may not provide high resolution. Described herein are methods and systems for high resolution IMS and IMC.

Systems and methods for sample analysis include applying, using a first laser source, a first beam to a sample to desorb organic material from a location of the sample and ionizing the desorbed organic material using a second laser source to generate ionized organic material. The ionized organic material is then analyzed using a mass spectrometer. A second beam from the first laser is then applied to the sample to ablate inorganic material from the location of the sample. The ablated inorganic material is then ionized using the second laser source to generate ionized inorganic material. The mass spectrometer is then used to analyze the ionized inorganic material. During analysis, one or more images of the sample may also be captured and linked to the collected analysis data.

A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising two vacuum chambers maintained at different pressures. The two vacuum chambers are interconnected by a differential pumping aperture. The effective area of the opening between the two vacuum chambers may be varied by rotating a disk having an aperture in front of the differential pumping aperture so as to vary the gas flow rate through the opening and between the two chambers.

A sample mounting plate has: a substrate made of alumina ceramic which exhibits white; and a cover layer which is laminated so as to cover the front surface of the substrate and which has multiple grooves formed in some areas. The cover layer has: a conductive interference layer which exhibits conductivity and is configured so as to exhibit a prescribed color (such as navy blue) through light interference and which is laminated on the substrate; and a water-repellent layer which exhibits higher water repellency than that of the substrate and is laminated on at least a part of the conductive interference layer and on which a sample is to be mounted.

One aspect of the disclosure provides a method of mass spectrometric analysis that includes producing either glow discharge within a noble gas between 3-100 mBar pressure, sampling and conditioning glow discharge products within a gas flow through a conductive channel, removing charged particles while transferring excited Ridberg atoms, and mixing conditioned discharge products with analyte flow within an enclosed chamber at elevated temperatures above 150° Celsius for producing a Penning reaction between analyte molecules and Ridberg atoms. The method further includes sampling, by a gas flow, said analyte ions for mass spectrometric analysis, and at least one of the following steps: (i) removing charge within said conditioning channel; (ii) coaxially mixing of analyte flow with the flow of conditioned plasma; and (iii) cooling of the mixed flow within a sonic or supersonic jet for reducing the region of Penning ionization to cold jet.

A method for modification of solid substrates with proteins for efficient surface preconcentration of an analyte from multi-component samples before the detection based on desorption-ionization mass spectrometry and immunochemical assays. The claimed subject is a method of modification of surfaces used as substrates for desorption-ionization mass spectrometry and immuno-chemical assays. The method is based on electronebulization (electrospraying) of protein solution, depending on the intended application either enzymes, lectins, or antibodies. The formed charged electrospray is dried in real time by its passing through an evaporation compartment and the resulting beam of desolvated ions impacts onto the surface and binds to it firmly. Such modified surface can be then used for a selective interaction with an affinity partner of the deposited protein, its preconcentration or enzymatic modification followed by an analysis by means of desorption-ionization mass spectrometry or immunochemical assays.

Methods for preparing a biological sample for testing by Maldi where such methods are selected based on sample parameters. Maldi scores are obtained for a range of sample parameters (e.g. McFarland, dispense volume and number of dispenses). From the data, sample preparation parameters can be selected for a biological sample being prepared for Maldi testing. One sample preparation strategy uses multiple dispenses of sample with an intervening drying step, which yields more accurate Maldi scores, particularly for samples at the low range of McFarland values (e.g. below about 2).