# Engineered optical layers reshape how ultrathin gold films break apart under laser light

- Source: Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories
- Published: 2026-11-02T16:30:01+00:00
- Category: Science
- Original: https://phys.org/news/2026-11-optical-layers-reshape-ultrathin-gold.html
- Canonical: https://groundlevelnews.com/story/engineered-optical-layers-reshape-how-ultrathin-gold-films-break-apart-3c13fc/

Dewetting of thin films is a phenomenon in which heat or laser irradiation destabilizes a continuous film, causing it to retract into nanoscale island-like structures. Compared to thermal dewetting, laser-induced dewetting offers greater precision, speed and flexibility and is a promising approach for patterning metallic thin films.

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