Pulsed laser ablation-deposition (PLA-PLD) in inhomogeneous electrical and electromagnetic fields was used to synthesise supported Pd catalysts. A modified PLA-PLD method opens up opportunities for obtaining Pd nanoparticles with the size from 2 to 5 nm by varying the deposition conditions. The catalysts were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS): The content of metal in catalysts was ultra-low (0.011-0.016 wt%). The catalysts demonstrated unexpectedly high activity for phenylacetylene semihydrogenation (TOFv 18-55 s(-1), TOFs 41-224s(-1)) at the Pd/substrate molar ratio less than 1/100000 and styrene selectivity up to 93%. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.