Time-resolved experiments on the photoablation of polystyrene and PMMA by ArF-laser radiation

The photoablation of polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) was studied in real-time during the uv laser pulse at 193 nm. The transmission and total reflection of thin polymer layers on quartz glass substrates was measured time-resolved. From the results for the strongly absorbing PS it can be concluded that the emission of material starts within the first few nanoseconds of the laser pulse. Photoablation of PMMA, which is a relatively weak absorber at 193 nm, is accompanied by strong modifications of the transmission by the first several ten laser pulses.