Continuous wave laser radiation from an argonion laser in the wavelength range 275-330 nm can be used to etch polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films with as little thermal damage as from a pulsed, ultraviolet laser (248 nm or 308 nm) provided the beam is focussed to a spot of 10-100 kW/cm 2 of power density and is moved over the surface at speeds at which the transit time over its own diameter (which can be looked upon as a "pulse width") is "on the order of 10-200 ~ts. In contrast to results which had been obtained previously on the photokinetic etching of polyimide and doped polymethyl methacrylate films under similar conditions, the sensitivity of PET to etching is >5-fold greater than either of these polymers and increases steadily with increasing pulse width. There is lateral thermal damage as the pulse widths increase to >200 ~ts. The material that is removed is vaporized in part. More than 20% is probably ejected in a molten state and resolidifies at the edge of the cut. There is no acoustic report similar to that seen in ablative photodecomposition. The process appears to be largely thermal in nature.