Fine metal particles are deposited on a surface by explosive decomposition of organometallic compounds with single pulse laser irradiation. This new technique has the following characteristics:

(1) High quantum efficiency of ca. 105, that depends on the size of the reaction chamber used and the concentration of organometallic compounds.

(2) Formation of uniform spherical particles of ca. 0.3 µm size under some reaction conditions.

(3) Rapid formation of metal particles. Most of the starting materials are decomposed within a few miliseconds.

The key points of this decomposition reaction are:

(1) Formation of high density active species in the gas phase by the irradiation with high power lasers.

(2) Propagation of a thermal chain reaction.