Shorter pulses increase ______?

Shorter pulses increase peak power because peak power is defined as the maximum instantaneous power output during a pulse. When the duration of the pulse is decreased, the same amount of energy is compressed into a shorter time frame, resulting in a higher peak power value.

For instance, if you maintain a consistent energy output but reduce the pulse duration, the power output, which is energy over time, will rise sharply. This principle is critical in applications such as laser cutting and medical procedures, where higher peak power can lead to more effective materials processing or precision in surgery.

In contrast, average power refers to the overall energy delivered over a longer timeframe, not affected the same way by pulse duration. Similarly, energy output is related to the total energy expended, and laser frequency pertains to the color or wavelength of the laser light, which is generally consistent regardless of pulse duration as it is determined by the laser medium.