Fabrication of surface reliefs is achieved by raster scanning dry photopolymer films under a focused laser beam. The formation of the structure takes place subsequent to illumination without any chemical treatment or wet processing. Computer-generated optical elements can be recorded quickly, easily, and at low cost. The technology is particularly well suited for rapid prototyping and design purposes. These photopolymer films have potential in photonics applications, such as diffractive optical elements and waveguide structures. © 1999 Optical Society of America.