Patent ID: 7599407

Claim:
A method for controlling a laser, comprising: setting an OFF time value, initializing a counter to cause a laser to emit N laser pulses, continuously irradiating a gain medium with light, turning a Q-switch ON for a first ON time duration, determining a first OFF time duration and a second OFF time duration, the second OFF time duration being equal to said OFF time value, and the first OFF time duration being of a different duration than the second OFF time duration; turning the Q-switch OFF for said first OFF time duration to increase a gain of the laser when the first ON time duration is longer than said OFF time value, and turning the Q-switch OFF for said second OFF time duration to increase a gain of the laser when the first ON time duration is shorter than said OFF time value, turning the Q-switch ON to cause said laser to emit a first of said N laser pulses, and turning the Q-switch OFF and ON for N−1 successive cycles to emit N−1 laser pulses, wherein the Q-switch is turned OFF for the second OFF time duration to obtain each of the N−1 laser pulses.