The origin of macromolecule ionization by laser irradiation (Nobel lecture)

Abstract

Without fragmentation: The mass spectrometric analysis of biological macromolecules can be achieved without fragmentation of the parent molecule by using the technique of soft laser (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI; see scheme, UFMP = ultrafine metal-powder matrix). The development of this technique was greatly influenced by the work of Koichi Tanaka for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2002.