We fabricate, measure, and simulate ultrathin diamond membranes with large lateral dimensions for MALDI TOF MS of high-mass proteins. With a minimal thickness of 100 nm and cross sections of up to 400×400 μm sq., the membranes offer extreme aspect ratios. Ion detection is demonstrated in MALDI TOF analysis over a broad range from insulin to albumin. The resulting data and simulations show much enhanced resolution as compared to existing detectors, which can offer better sensitivity and overall performance in resolving protein masses.
The article is available in Physical Review Applied: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.6.064031
