A nonequilibrium kinetic model is used for predicting the time
evolution of the Li atom concentrations (ground and excited
states) in the plasma produced by excimer laser ablation of
a LiNbO3 target. The model predicts a very high
ionization degree (∼0.97) that agrees well with the one
obtained experimentally (∼1). These results together with
the prediction of high (and close to local thermodynamic
equilibrium) population densities of the electronically excited
Li upper energy levels provide an indirect support for an
electronic rather than thermal ablation mechanism of Li atoms.