Process during laser implantation and ablation of Coumarin 6 in poly (butyl methacrylate) films

Coumarin 6 (C6) molecules were implanted into poly butyl methacrylate (PBMA) polymer films following excitation using a pulsed dye laser coupled with a microscope. The mechanism of this microscopic laser induced molecular implantation method (LIMIT) is discussed on the basis of experimental parameters affecting the implanted area's size. The C6 molecules were ejected from a C6 source film facing a PBMA target film with various interface distances between them. The area size variation was observed in terms of the density distribution of the ejected C6 molecules in the plume and the plume shape was estimated at different laser fluences. The size and the shape of the ejected C6 molecules are discussed in terms of the processes taking place in the plume. Based on the obtained results, the implantation method was optimized so that the formation of extended fine-art quality green-color fluorescent patterns consisting of C6 molecular dots could be demonstrated.