The ablation rate of polyimide in air in the temperature range of 25 degrees C to 200 degrees C is investigated with a 20 ns KrF excimer laser. The ablation rates for laser fluences between 60 and 2750 mJ/cm(2) show a decline vs. increasing temperature. Using Beer's law of absorption, a fitting formula is found containing an empirical linear correction term which decreases with increasing substrate and ambient temperature. The optical properties of polyimide at elevated temperatures are considered also.