<p>The self - healing of damaged polymer matrices by leveraging photothermal properties has been scarcely reported in the literature. In this research, Indole - Based squaraine was synthesized via a facile one - step method. The SQ-DIN molecule is characterized by a symmetrical structural unit. Under 685 - nm laser irradiation, it can rapidly reach a high temperature of 85&#xa0;°C within just four minutes, demonstrating outstanding photothermal performance. These remarkable photothermal properties of the compound hold great potential for the repair of thermoplastic films damaged by cutting. Given that thermoplastic films melt upon heating, the damaged regions can be reconnected by applying heat. In this study, SQ-DIN was effectively incorporated into a damaged PS-PDMS (polystyrene-polydimethylsiloxane) film. After illumination, the damaged parts of the film showed remarkable self - healing. Moreover, the fluorescence emission of SQ-DIN underwent a substantial change following photothermal stimulation, which enables the detection and identification of damaged films.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>