Patent ID: 7205156
Filing Date: 2007-04-17
Classification: H01J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting an analyte comprising: (a) providing a probe comprising a substrate having a surface and a hydrogel material on the surface, wherein the hydrogel material comprises a water-insoluble and water-swellable polymer, having absorbed at least 10 times its own weight of a liquid, that is crosslinked and is at least about 10 microns thick and further comprises binding functionalities for binding with an analyte; (b) exposing the binding functionalities of the hydrogel material to a sample containing an analyte under conditions to allow binding between the analyte and the binding functionalities of the hydrogel material; (c) striking the probe surface with energy from an ionization source, thereby desorbing and ionizing the analyte; (d) detecting the desorbed and ionized analyte by mass spectrometry.