Abstract

Radiation of wavelengths shorter than 200 nm is intensely absorbed by nearly all organic polymers. More than 95% of the photons are absorbed in a depth of ~3000 Å. Far-UV radiation has an efficiency of >50% at breaking bonds in organic material. As a result when a laser pulse of 193-nm wavelength impinges on an organic film, numerous small fragments are created in a small volume. When the intensity of the pulse exceeds a threshold value (~10 mJ/cm²), the small fragments ablate—they explosively burst out of the irradiated volume.

© 1983 Optical Society of America