LASER-INDUCED ELECTRON-IMPACT IONIZATION IN A REFLECTRON TIME-OF-FLIGHT MASS-SPECTROMETER

Some details of the generation of electrons by impinging a laser beam on a metal surface are described. It is shown that highly efficient el ectron generation is observed only during the laser pulse. Therefore, this technique delivers intense pulses of electrons. The process is in vestigated and different ion source set-ups are discussed. In conjunct ion with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer this technique can be used to produce mass spectra of different samples ranging from simple orga nic molecules to peptides.