Ion-current difference measurement by light intensity modulation (ICD) is introduced as a convenient method to characterize a purified beam of momentum-controlled neutral free radicals produced by photo-deionization of a negative ion beam for the purpose of surface-reaction-selective device processing. The ICD setup developed in this study to estimate the number flux of the photo-deionized neutral particles exhibited the high precision, sensitivity, and spatial resolution. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.