Patent ID: 6973104

Claim:
A pulsed laser system comprising: a laser pump; a laser rod; a reflector interposed between the laser pump and the laser rod, through which energy from the laser pump enters the laser rod; an output reflector through which energy is emitted from the laser rod; a switch interposed between the laser rod and the output reflector configured to be closed to cause energy to be stored in the laser rod for a desired period of time, and to be opened to allow energy to be emitted from the laser rod during an emission period; and a processor programmed to allow presetting of a pre-selected pulse shape to be produced by the laser source, based on known properties of a target material to be processed on a workpiece, to allow setting, independently of the pre-selected pulse shape, of a time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece, and to cause the pulsed laser system to be pulsed, by causing the switch to be closed for a fixed, predetermined period of time prior to each emission period regardless of the time interval between the at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece, so as to cause the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece, with the set time interval between the at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece, while the pre-selected pulse shape remains as preset regardless of the time interval, without setting of the time interval affecting the pulse shape.