Categories of exhibits
MALDI plate holder
Exhibit no. 681
In MALDI-MS, samples and matrix are allowed to crystallize on a target. Stainless steel plates with multiple sample positions are commonly used for this purpose. The surface of the target plates is polished or has a highly regular fine structure, enabling homogenous co-crystallized preparations. The target plate is inserted in a holder that transports the plate to the MALDI source.
The exhibit is a magnetic holder with a 100-position target plate from the TofSpec 2E MALDI-TOF spectrometer manufactured by Micromass in the 1990s. In the load probe position, the holder was positioned horizontally, which enabled the easy loading of the target plate. After closing the instrument with a glass lid and pumping down the space above the plate, the holder was moved into the ion source. During the measurement, the target plate was in an upright position. The position on the plate, where to fire the laser, could be controlled in two ways - first by selecting the position of the sample and secondly by selecting the exact spot within the position.
