A method of removing a material from a surface, comprising: providing a substrate having the surface with the material disposed thereon; and passing a laser through a lens such that the laser impinges on the material to remove the material from the surface; wherein the substrate has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the material is disposed on the opposing second surface of the substrate, wherein the laser passes through the first surface and the opposing second surface before impinging on the material, characterized in that the opposing second surface from which the material is removed has an array of artifacts thereon with a spacing between artifacts and a pitch between lines of artifacts, the at least one of the spacing between the artifacts or the pitch between lines of artifacts is varied, and the method further comprising: (i) varying a pulse frequency of the laser such that a variation in a spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (ii) varying a scan speed of the laser over the material such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iii) driving an actuated mirror located along a beam path of the laser such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iv) modulating a focal length of the lens, the lens being a variable lens. providing a substrate having the surface with the material disposed thereon; and passing a laser through a lens such that the laser impinges on the material to remove the material from the surface; wherein the substrate has a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the material is disposed on the opposing second surface of the substrate, wherein the laser passes through the first surface and the opposing second surface before impinging on the material, characterized in that the opposing second surface from which the material is removed has an array of artifacts thereon with a spacing between artifacts and a pitch between lines of artifacts, the at least one of the spacing between the artifacts or the pitch between lines of artifacts is varied, and the method further comprising: (i) varying a pulse frequency of the laser such that a variation in a spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (ii) varying a scan speed of the laser over the material such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iii) driving an actuated mirror located along a beam path of the laser such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iv) modulating a focal length of the lens, the lens being a variable lens. (i) varying a pulse frequency of the laser such that a variation in a spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (ii) varying a scan speed of the laser over the material such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iii) driving an actuated mirror located along a beam path of the laser such that a variation in the spacing of laser pulses incident on the material is produced; and/or (iv) modulating a focal length of the lens, the lens being a variable lens. <EOS>