MALDI/ESI drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometer

Currently, we are working with a reduced pressure, drift-time ion mobility mass spectrometer (DTIM-MS). The ionization source, which is able to support both MALDI and ESI, is interfaced directly to the drift cell. In the drift cell the analyte undegoes collisions with helium gas at approximately 3-10 Torr. The sample is then pulsed into a reflectron o-TOF mass spectrometer, resulting in two-dimensional (i.e. mobility versus m/z) spectra.

Below is a schematic for the instrument we use at Vanderbilt.