Improved, high resolution, laser ablated grayscale assembles (A) are provided including a substrate (24a) and a polymer layer (24b) having an etched region (R) presenting areas of different, predetermined thicknesses. Preferably, the region (R) exhibits a maximum RMS roughness value of up to about 5 ran. The fabrication method involves providing a sample (24) having a substrate (24a) and polymer layer (24b), and laser ablating the layer (24b) by multiphoton photolithography to give the different thickness areas characteristic of a desired grayscale pattern. Preferably, the fabrication involves transmissivc laser ablation wherein the incident laser beam is transmitted through the substrate (24a) to ablate the layer (24b). Advantageously, the polymer layer (24b) comprises a poly(alkylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) mixture.