Abstract: A system is provided for removing material from a structure having at least one layer of the material formed on a substrate. The system includes a radiant energy source, such as a flashlamp, with an actively cooled reflector for irradiating a target area of a structure with radiant energy, preferably sufficiently intense in at least the visible and ultraviolet, to break or weaken chemical bonds in the material, and an abrasive blaster for impinging the material after irradiation with a cool particle stream, preferably including of CO.sub.2 particles, to remove the irradiated material and cool the substrate. The system may also include light sensors used in a feedback loop to control the removal process by varying the speed at which the radiant energy source is moved along the structure, the repetition rate of the source, the intensity of the source, the pulse width of the source and/or the distance between the source and the structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing material from a structure having at least one layer of material formed on a substrate. The method includes the steps of irradiating a target area of a structure with radiant energy sufficient to break or weaken chemical bonds in the material, and impinging the target area with a particle stream to remove the pyrolyzed material from the structure. The method may be implemented by a system comprising a housing having a window; a radiant energy source mounted in the housing for irradiating the target area of the structure with the radiant energy; and a nozzle mounted to the exterior of the housing for directing the stream of particles at the target area.