Patent ID: 8467424

Claim:
The method of generating pulses of laser radiation at high repetition rates, comprising the steps of: (a) providing two or more laser units, each capable of producing pulses of laser radiation at a repetition rate of F (pulses per second), and capable of being triggered by external low-voltage pulse triggers; (b) providing an electronic pulse generator unit, capable of producing low-voltage trigger pulses that have a repetition rate of 2×F or greater, and that are capable of triggering said laser units of step (a); (c) triggering one of said laser units of step (a) by one sub-set of trigger pulses produced by said pulse generator of step (b); triggering another of said laser units of step (a) by another sub-set of trigger pulses produced by said pulse generator of step (b); and triggering other laser units of step (a) by other sub-sets of trigger pulses produced by said pulse generator of step (b); (d) providing a timing data file having the timing instants at which all the laser pulses from all the said laser units of step (a) are to be emitted; and (e) using the timing data file of step (d) to control the timings of the generation of the different sub-sets of trigger pulses produced by said pulse generator of step (b), such that said different laser units of step (a) are triggered by said sub-sets of trigger pulses produced by said pulse generator of step (b) at specified time instants, such that the repetition rate of the aggregate train of laser pulses from all said laser units of step (a) is greater than said repetition rate of F of a single laser unit, and the laser pulses in said aggregate train of laser pulses are emitted at specified time instants.