Principles of the Delayed Extraction Technique

Abstract

The delayed extraction (also known as pulsed extraction) technique involves the application of a time delay between the ionization pulse and an accelerating voltage pulse for desorption/ionization from a surface. This technique can achieve energy focusing in a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer and is used to improve mass resolving power. We explain the principles of delayed extraction (pulsed extraction) used in a MALDI TOF mass spectrometer.