Since its discovery the MALDI technique has achieved a great popularity. It is a fast, sensitive and accurate analytical tool. However, the Physical processes underlying the ion emission are still unclear. In this work, a characterization of a home-made MALDI instrument, using human insulin as a probe, is presented. The time of flight peaks intensities were studied as a function of the relative concentration of the analyte – matrix system. A simple model is developed to describe general features of the MALDI process and of the ion emission.
