Gold and platinum patterns have been produced by UV-induced decomposition of a range of organometallic films. A nanosecond-pulsed excimer laser operating at 193 or 248 nm was used as the source of illumination. The metal thereby formed has been extensively studied using a wide range of analytical techniques. These include scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). This analysis has demonstrated that the metal is polycrystalline with a grain size of typically 10 nm. This technique for producing high-resolution metal patterns has wide ranging applications, especially in microelectronics.