Films of Column IIIA metals (In, Tℓ and Aℓ) have been deposited on several different substrates (stainless steel, nickel and copper) by photoionizing the corresponding metal-iodide or bromide (such as TℓI, InI or AℓI3) in the vapor phase and in the presence of a uniform electric field. These experiments were prompted by the measurement of large photoionization cross-sections for ion production (i.e., MX + 2ħ ω → M+ + X + e- or MX + ħω → M+ + X-) in these molecules at 193 nm. The effective cross-sections for the photoionization of TℓI and InI at 193 nm have been measured to be 2.2·10−17 cm2 and < 7·10−18 cm2, respectively. Depletions of the metal-halide ground state greater than 60% have been observed for ArF peak laser intensities of only 5 MW − cm−2.