A method of producing relatively monodisperse, small-diameter (sub-500 nm diameter) aerosol fibers is described. This method involves the separation of porous thin films from their substrate. It was found that fibers with diameters of less than several hundred nm and lengths of several micrometers can be formed that do not adhere to one-another. Two mu m thick columnar thin films were fabricated and processed, yielding aerosol fibers with lengths up to 2 mu m and diameters up to 170 nm. Diameter and length distributions of a collected aerosol showed that a broad range of fiber lengths and diameters are formed by this method. Further modification of the method, however, is expected to greatly narrow the range of effective diameters and lengths obtained. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.