The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 05, 1991
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1989
Edward W Schlag, Garching, DE;
Josef Lindner, Munich, DE;
Ronald C Beavis, Landshut, DE;
Jurgen Grotemeyer, Freising, DE;
Bruker-Franzen Analytik GmbH, Bremen, DE;
Abstract
When vaporizing a sample substance consisting of big molecules, in particular for the purpose of mass-spectroscopic examinations, the energy introduced for the vaporization process may lead to thermolytic decomposition of the sample substance. In order to prevent such decomposition, the invention proposes that the sample substance be mixed, prior to its irradiation, with a matrix material which is easily decomposed under the influence of the laser beam pulses. The matrix may consist of a material which absorbs the radiation and which is easily decomposed thermolytically, or else of a material which is permeable to laser radiation, but mixed with a metal powder. When the mixture is exposed to laser beam pulses, the instable matrix material will decompose first whereby the embedded molecules of the sample substance are set free. It is possible in this manner to prevent, practically completely, the molecules of the sample substance from being destructed. Suitable compounds for use as matrix material are, in particular, sugar, cellulose and NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 as well as polyethylene, with an admixture of gold or silver powder.