Disclosed are coating formulations that include a copolyester and a vinyl ether in which the copolyester is produced by copolymerizing a monomer composition that includes a fused aromatic diacid monomer, an unsaturated diacid monomer, and a polyol. Also disclosed are methods for producing a laser-ablatable film on a surface of a substrate. The method includes coating the substrate with a coating formulation that includes a copolyester and a vinyl ether and polymerizing the coating formulation. The copolyester includes a fused aromatic moiety covalently bonded therein. Novel radiation curable sensitizers that can be used in the preparation of radiation curable polymer films having improved laser ablation properties are also described.