The 3rd International Conference on Ion Formation from Organic Solids (IFOS III) was held at the University of Munster, September 16-18, 1985. The conference was attended by 60 invited scientists from all over the world. Of the 43 papers which were presented, 40 are included in these proceedings. The aim of IFOS III was to promote the exchange of results and new ideas between scientists actively working in the field of mass spectrometry of involatile materials. Various aspects of the ion formation process - realization and optimization, theoretical understanding and analytical application -were treated, as well as instrumental developments. Some emphasis was placed on recent developments in time-of-flight and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, and its impact on the mass spectrometry of involatile materials. The most important goal of the conference was to combine facets of the understanding of the most complex ion formation processes with the many different aspects of its analytical application. The participants came from a wide variety of different fields, including pure and applied physics and chemistry, medicine, pharmacy, and space research. Finally, on behalf of all the conference participants, I would like to thank Dr. W. Sichtermann and :\1iss I. Bekemeier for the perfect preparation and technical organization of the conference. The next conference in this series, IFOS IV, is planned for the autumn of 1987, in Munster.
