Tunable CO2 and non-tunable CO, lasers were used for the irradiation of thin polypropylene films. The wavelength of the IR radiation was adjusted in such a way that it coincided exactly with the absorbance peak in the spectrum of the polypropylene pattern. In this way, conditions of resonance absorption of IR radiation by polymer films were produced. Strong thermal effects in PP were observed under irradiation at the resonance wavelength. The threshold value of IR power, which causes thermal phenomena in irradiated films was established. We pulled films exposed to established threshold values with a constant speed in the plane normal to the laser beam. Highly developed relief and thin traces were formed de ending on the pulling speed. Traces with a width smaller than the wavelength of the incident laser beam were obtained. The IR spectra of irradiated PP films were studied with a FTIR spectrometer. Changes in the spectra of PP films were established using correlation analysis of spectral data. The phenomenon could be applied for obtaining highly developed surface relief, storage of information in polymer films and welding of polymer materials. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.