Effects of ZnO nanowire length on surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization of small molecules.

The effects of nanowire (NW) length on surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization (SALDI) mass spectrometry (MS) of small molecules were investigated using ZnO NWs of 50 nm diameter with a broad range of lengths ranging from 25 to 1600 nm. Characterization of the ZnO NWs revealed that the length was the only parameter that varied in this study, while other properties of the NWs remained essentially the same as the bulk properties. Experiments on SALDI efficiency exhibited that the SALDI processes on NWs have a certain length window. In the present case of ZnO NWs, the SALDI efficiency was found to be enhanced on the nanowires of 250 nm length, corresponding to an aspect ratio of 5. The roles of NW length in the SALDI processes were discussed from the viewpoint of efficient energy-transfer media as well as physical obstacles screening laser irradiation and preventing the escape of nascent ions from NW surfaces. The existence of the length window may provide valuable insight for tailoring new nanostructures for efficient SALDI of small molecules.