Patent ID: 6989528

Claim:
An analytical instrument for the characterization and analysis of a sample comprising: a MALDI sampling device to desorb at least a portion of said sample, said MALDI sampling device comprising a sample stage, said sample stage capable of accommodating a sample; a component selected from the group consisting of an inorganic cluster ion beam source, a vapor deposition system, a laser ablation deposition system, a desorption deposition source, and any combination thereof, said component being capable of adding a matrix to said sample, said component being fluidly coupled to said MALDI sampling device; a laser coupled to said MALDI sampling device, said laser being capable of desorbing material from said sample; an ion mobility cell having a drift tube, said mobility cell coupled to said MALDI sampling device and capable of receiving sample from said MALDI sampling device; and, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer having a flight tube positioned orthogonally to said drift tube, said flight tube fluidly coupled to said drift tube.