Pulse control in laser systems

A method of operating a processor-controlled pulsed laser system comprising laser source, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a first time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto a workpiece based on known properties of a target material to be processed on the workpiece;
• selecting a first pulse shape to be produced by the laser source;
• pulsing the pulsed laser system by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for a period of time prior to each of a plurality of first emission periods associated with said first time interval;
• allowing energy to be emitted from the laser source during each of said first emission periods;
• causing the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece with pulses having said first pulse shape;
• selecting a second time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto a workpiece, wherein said second time interval is different than said first time interval;
• pulsing the pulsed laser system by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for a period of time prior to each of a plurality of second emission periods associated with said second time interval, wherein said second emission periods are different than said first emission periods;
• allowing energy to be emitted from the laser source during each of said second emission periods;
• causing the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece with pulses having the first pulse shape at the second time interval.

A method of operating a processor-controlled pulsed laser system comprising a laser source continuously pumped at constant power, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting a first pulse energy to be produced by the laser sources based on known properties of a target material to be processed on a workpiece;
• selecting a first time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece;
• pulsing the pulsed laser system, while the laser source is continuously pumped at a first constant power, by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for a period of time prior to each of a plurality of first emission periods;
• causing the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece at the first time interval with the first pulse energy;
• selecting a second time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece, wherein said second time interval is different than said first time interval;
• pulsing the pulsed laser system, while the laser source is continuously pumped at the first constant power, by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for a period of time prior to each of a plurality of second emission periods associated with the second time interval;
• and
• causing the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece at the second time interval with the first Pulse energy.

A method of operating a processor-controlled pulsed laser system comprising a laser source and having programmable pulse energy characteristics, wherein a first pulse energy characteristic to be produced by the laser source is presettable based on known properties of a trimmable component to be micro-machined on a workpiece, and a first time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece is dynamically selectable independently of the pre-selected pulse energy characteristic, during trimming of the trimmable component, so as to permit the trimmable component to be measured accurately during trimming of the trimmable component, the method comprising:

• pulsing the pulsed laser system, by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for a first predetermined period of time prior to each of a plurality of first emission periods associated with said first time interval;
• causing the laser source to micro-machine the trimmable component on the workpiece, with the first time interval between the at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece the pulses having the first pulse energy characteristic;
• selecting a second time interval between at least two successive transmissions of pulses onto the workpiece, wherein said second time interval is different than said first time interval;
• pulsing the pulsed laser system by triggering storage of energy by the laser source for the first predetermined period of time prior to each of a plurality of second emission periods associated with the second time interval;
• and
• causing the laser source to process the target material on the workpiece with pulses having the second time interval and having the first energy characteristic.