The process of target ablation induced by pulsed ion beams is investig
ated. The beam power density of 0.01-0.1 GW/cm(2) is around the sublim
ation energy of the target material. The thickness of the layer to be
removed from the target is estimated from the temperature distribution
calculated numerically with a diffusion equation. The emitted particl
es are collected with C collectors, which are later subjected to RES a
nd SEM/EPMA analyses. It is found that ablated particles forming a fil
m on the collector amount to only 10% of the target atoms within the m
aximum range of the ions, while a significant amount of the ablated ma
terial is observed as macroscopic particles with equivalent diameters
up to several tens of micrometers. TOF measurements of the ablation pl
ume together with RES measurements of thin-film targets after irradiat
ion suggest that the formation of the film is predominated by vaporiza
tion from the surface of the ablated mass, which is recondensed on the
collector before completing the vaporization.