A direct laser writing technique has been developed to create microtunnels and reservoirs on a nanocomposite material by utilizing the photon-thermal energy conversion property of gold nanoparticles. The absorption of photon energy and conversion to thermal energy by gold nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix caused polymer decomposition at the subsurface layer of the nanocomposite film, leading to the formation of covered microtunnels. Laser ablation/writing of polymer and doped-polymer materials has been widely used for the fabrication of microfluidic channels, optical devices and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Dye molecules with a strong absorption at certain wavelength ranges are often added to the polymers as photon-thermal energy converters to extend the range of polymers that may be processed by laser irradiation
