of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention for producing solid or hollow spherical particles having a uniform and controlled size distribution the apparatus functions within a controlled environment provided by a hollow housing 70 the interior atmosphere and pressure of which are controlled by an environmental apparatus 72 that communicates with housing 70 via a pipe 74 schematically indicated also schematically indicated is an environmental control knob 76 for environmental apparatus 72 in practice environmental apparatus 72 could be a vacuum pump or means for producing an inert atmosphere such as a turbomolecular high vacuum pump a diffusion pump or a standard regulator and gas supply bottles all of which are very well known means for producing controlled atmospheres or vacuums within confined spaces are very well known in the mechanical electrical and chemical arts and the environment within housing 70 of the present invention may be controlled by any appropriate means a laser 78 equipped with a focusing element 80 shown located within housing 70 produces a focused beam of laser light 82 however in other embodiments of the invention laser beam 82 could be produced at any convenient location external to housing 70 and introduced into the interior of housing 70 by any appropriate means such as for example through a transparent window not shown laser 78 is of the same type as lasers 10 and 40 of fig1 and 2 respectively and the description of laser 10 supra is equally applicable to laser 78 as schematically represented laser beam 82 may be reflected and redirected by any convenient means such as.