Abstract: Apparatus for laser processing a material (8) with optical radiation (T), which apparatus comprises a seed laser (1) pumped by a seed pump (2), an amplifier (3) pumped by an amplifier pump (4), a controller (5), and a scanner (6), wherein the controller (5) controls the seed pump (2), the amplifier pump (4) and the scanner (6) in synchronism such that optical pulses (10) emitted by the seed laser (1) are propagated through the amplifier (3) and directed to the material (8) by the scanner (6), the apparatus being characterized in that controller (5) controls the amplifier pump (4) to cause the amplifier (3) to act as an optical attenuator when the optical radiation (7) is in a first power range, and as an optical amplifier when the output power is in a second power range.