  We propose and demonstrate that thermal laser evaporation can be applied to
all solid, non-radioactive elements in the periodic table. By depositing thin
films, we achieve growth rates exceeding 1 angstrom/s with output laser powers
less than 500 W, using identical beam parameters for many different elements.
The source temperature is found to vary linearly with laser power within the
examined power range. High growth rates are possible using free-standing
sources for most of the elements tested, eliminating the need for crucibles.
