Additive manufacturing method and apparatus

An additive manufacturing apparatus, comprising:

• a pulsed-laser generating system;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• apply a pulsed laser energy to a first quantity of a powder material on a substrate so as to fuse particles of the powder material into a first layer on the substrate;
• form at least one additional layer on the first layer by applying a pulsed laser energy to at least a second quantity of the powder material on the first layer so as to fuse particles of the powder material into the at least one additional layer on the first layer;
• and
• apply the pulsed laser energy in a controlled manner such that solidification dynamics of the first and second quantities of the powder material are altered to promote at least one microstructural characteristic of the object comprising the first layer and the at least one additional layer.