Metal condensates for low-molecular-weight matrix-free laser desorption/ionization

► This article demonstrates the interest of metal nanoislands condensed on top of organic surfaces by PVD to enhance the characteristic ion yields of the underlying materials upon UV laser ablation. ► The characteristic ion yield enhancements are up to 4 orders of magnitude with respect to pristine samples. ► It is a solvent-free and matrix-free approach to laser ablation. ► The observed signal enhancement is explained by increased laser absorbance (ablation) and work function (ionization). ► The main potential of the method concerns the imaging of organic samples using laser ablation.