An energy-efficient method and
system for
processing target material such as microstructures in a microscopic region without causing undesirable changes in electrical and / or physical characteristics of material surrounding the target material is provided. The
system includes a controller for generating a
processing control signal and a
signal generator for generating a modulated drive waveform based on the
processing control signal. The waveform has a sub-
nanosecond rise time. The
system also includes a
gain-switched, pulsed
semiconductor seed
laser for generating a
laser pulse
train at a repetition rate. The drive waveform pumps the
laser so that each pulse of the pulse
train has a predetermined shape. Further, the system includes a laser
amplifier for optically amplifying the pulse
train to obtain an amplified pulse train without significantly changing the predetermined shape of the pulses. The amplified pulses have little
distortion and have substantially the same relative temporal power distribution as the original pulse train from the laser. Each of the amplified pulses has a substantially square temporal
power density distribution, a
sharp rise time, a
pulse duration and a
fall time. The system further includes a
beam delivery and focusing subsystem for delivering and focusing at least a portion of the amplified pulse train onto the target material. The
rise time (less than about 1 ns) is fast enough to efficiently couple laser energy to the target material, the
pulse duration (typically 2-10 ns) is sufficient to process the target material, and the
fall time (a few ns) is rapid enough to prevent the undesirable changes to the material surrounding the target material.