Acoustic sample introduction for mass spectrometric analysis
AssigneePicoliter Inc.
InventorsRichard N. Ellson, Mitchell W. Mutz
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Abstract
The invention relates to the efficient transport of a small fluid sample such as that may be required by analytical devices such as mass spectrometers configured to analyze small samples of biomolecular fluids. Such transport involves nozzleless acoustic ejection, wherein analyte molecules are introduced from a reservoir holding a fluid into an ionization chamber of an analytical device or a small capillary by directing focused acoustic radiation at a focal point near the surface of the fluid sample. This facilitates the analysis of various types of analytes such as biomolecular analytes having a high molecular weight.
Claims70
A method for preparing a plurality of analyte molecules for analysis, comprising:
- (a) applying focused acoustic energy to each of a plurality of fluid-containing reservoirs, to eject a droplet of fluid containing an analyte molecule from each reservoir to a different designated site on a substrate surface, thereby forming an array comprised of a plurality of analyte molecules on the substrate surface;
- and
- (b) successively applying sufficient energy to each site to ionize the analyte molecules and release the analyte molecules from the substrate surface for analysis.
The method of claim 7, wherein no more than about 5 percent of the fluid in a reservoir is ejected per droplet.
A device for preparing a plurality of analyte molecules for analysis, comprising:
- a plurality of reservoirs each holding a fluid comprised of an analyte molecule;
- an ejector comprising an acoustic radiation generator for generating acoustic radiation and a focusing means for focusing the acoustic radiation at a focal point near a surface of the fluid;
- a means for positioning the ejector in acoustic coupling relationship to each of the reservoirs to eject a droplet of fluid therefrom;
- a substrate having a surface adapted to receive droplets of fluid from the reservoirs:
- a means for positioning the substrate so that designated sites on the substrate surface are successively placed in droplet-receiving relationship to the reservoirs, thereby forming an array comprised of a plurality of analyte molecules on the substrate surface;
- and
- a means for applying energy to each site in a manner sufficient to ionize the analyte molecules and to release the analyte molecules from the substrate surface for analysis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.