Abstract: A nebulizer for analytical purposes includes a needle through which flows a liquid to be nebulized. The liquid flows from the needle onto a diaphragm planar surface that is vibrated in successive pulses. A continuous bridge of the liquid subsists between the liquid and the planar surface when the diaphragm is in the non-vibrating state. The liquid is nebulized to an aerosol when the diaphragm is pulsed. The needle and diaphragm are always spaced from each other. A wick on the planar surface in contact with the film removes excess amounts of the liquid not involved in forming the aerosol. The diaphragm vibration is pulsed by a piezoelectric crystal that responds to an FM wave whose frequency is swept over a band spanning the resonant frequency of the crystal. The crystal is configured as a spherical segment to direct a focused pressure wave on the diaphragm via a liquid medium.