Abstract: In a laser beam source for projecting laser pulses, having a laser-active medium (10), a controllable pump device (11) for exciting the medium (10), a resonator (13) for inducing oscillation of the medium (10), which resonator has an end mirror (14) and an output mirror (15) with an orientation axially parallel to the medium (10), for the sake of projecting laser pulses of constant pulse energy immediately upon release of the laser beam source, one of the resonator mirrors (14) is pivotably supported and is pivoted out of its resonator position and back into its resonator position by an actuator (19) at selectable times (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A device and a method for optimizing laser drilling and laser erosion. An electrode is situated opposite a workpiece to be processed. A current-voltage source is interconnected in such a way that an electric field is applied between the workpiece and the electrode, the workpiece being positively charged and the electrode being negatively charged. By acting upon a point of action on the workpiece, a laser beam causes the material erosion. Metal ions and/or plasma ions created in the proximity of the point of action are positively charged. They are accelerated in the direction of the electrode, so that they are removed from the point of action.

Abstract: In a laser beam source for projecting laser pulses, having a laser-active medium (10), a controllable pump device (11) for exciting the medium (10), a resonator (13) for inducing oscillation of the medium (10), which resonator has an end mirror (14) and an output mirror (15) with an orientation axially parallel to the medium (10), for the sake of projecting laser pulses of constant pulse energy immediately upon release of the laser beam source, one of the resonator mirrors (14) is pivotably supported and is pivoted out of its resonator position and back into its resonator position by an actuator (19) at selectable times (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A method for producing bore holes, including conical bore holes, having a definite hole geometry in the longitudinal direction of the bore hole by adjusting the beam geometry and/or the beam parameters of a laser beam.