Matrix-free desorption of biomolecules using massive cluster impact.

Massive-cluster impact (MCI) ionization was found to be capable of producing high secondary-ion yields from biological samples without the use of a liquid matrix. Dry samples of molecules as large as cytochrome c were observed to be efficiently desorbed without significant fragmentation by the MCI beam of glycerol clusters. In addition, signals from protonated molecules retained a significant proportion of their initial intensity even after several minutes exposure to the primary beam. It was determined that these remarkable phenomena are not the result of the build-up of a layer of glycerol caused by the cluster bombardment.