Gain switch spike suppression through temporal and/or amplitude manipulation of the pump energy

A method of operating a laser system that includes a gain medium and at least one pump emitter to energize the gain medium, the method comprising:

• configuring the at least one pump emitter to:
• activate at a first intensity at a first time;
• and
• activate at one or more second intensities at one or more second times, respectively;
• and
• outputting a laser beam from the laser system, the laser beam generated by the gain medium pumped by the configured at least one pump emitter;
• wherein an intensity of the one or more second intensities is greater than the first intensity, or
• wherein the at least one pump emitter comprises a plurality of pump emitters;
• and the method further comprises configuring a first pump emitter of the plurality of pump emitters to activate at the first intensity at the first time, and configuring one or more second pump emitters of the plurality of pump emitters to activate at the one or more second times, respectively.