Radiation effects, plasma etching

Laser imcronaachining of polymers involves ablation, in which the matter is ejected in the form of species such as atoms, molecules, ions, and clusters because of the interaction with an intense laser pulse. The macroscopic effects of ablation include plasma formation, acoustic shocks, and cratering of the surface. It was first reported in 1982 by Srinivasan and Mayne-Banton 8] that when pulsed UV laser radiation falls on a polymer surface, material is spontaneously etched away from a depth of 0.1 (mi to a few microns. Subsequently, the responses of numerous polymers to UV lasers have been investigated and reported some polymers are easier to ablate than others. 

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