Resonant infrared pulsed laser deposition of polymers using a picosecond tunable free-electron laser

Summary from only given. Resonant picosecond-pulse, mid-infrared laser irradiation has been shown to ablate glassy and crystalline solids with high efficiency and low collateral damage. We have extended this concept to show that resonant infrared (IR) pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is an effective method for depositing polymer films with physical and chemical structure as well as optical properties virtually identical to those of the bulk starting material. This contrasts sharply with PLD at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths, where deposited polymer material is significantly degraded.