Abstract: Devices and methods of use and manufacture for the identification and characterization of analytes, e.g. proteins, are provided. The subject devices are characterized by having a substrate with a polymerized monomolecular film over at least a portion of the substrate, the monomolecular film having at least one ligand or specific binding pair member associated therewith. Preferably the monomolecular film is stable to the laser intensities employed in MALDI-MS. In certain embodiments, the ligands are biotin, integrin antagonists, antibodies and antigens. In using the subject devices, a subject device is contacted with a sample. If present in the sample, a member of the binding pair of interest binds to its complementary ligand and, once bound, can be analyze by mass spectroscopy techniques. Also provided are kits, which include the subject devices.