MALDI sample plate imaging workstation

The invention provide an apparatus for producing an image of a global surface of an ion source sample plate (4) that is exterior to an ion source. In general terms, the apparatus contains a sample plate for an ion source, an imaging device (8) (e.g., a CCD or CMOS camera) and an illumination device (6) that is configured to produce a light beam (10) that contacts the sample plate surface to define a grazing angle (12) between the light beam and the sample plate surface. The light beam (10) may be reflected, diffracted or scattered as a light beam (14), at an angle (16) to the surface of the sample plate (4). The imaging device 8 may be at an angle (16) to the surface of the sample plate. The apparatus may be present at a location that is remote to the ion source.