MALDI: the analyte is dispersed in the matrix molecules and forms cocrystallization. When the crystal is irradiated by laser, the sample molecules obtain energy desorption, and the matrix ions ionize the sample by charge transfer.
TOF-MS: after accelerating in the electric field, ions enter the area without electric field and are detected according to the different flight times of arriving at the detector, that is, ions are detected by determining that the mass charge ratio (m/z) of ions is in positive ratio to the flight time of ions.