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From the Introduction

Machining materials with lasers – a technology first introduced in the early 1970’s – is now used routinely in many industries. Laser micromachining is a more recent development. First demonstrated in the 1980’s, micromachining with lasers is an evolving technology. Initially laser micromachining was based on continuous wave or long-pulse lasers. With these “conventional” lasers, the heat transferred from the laser beam to the work piece introduced numerous restrictions that limit the precision and the quality of the machining process. In other words, laser micromachining is… well, not so micro, but rather course by some of today’s standards. Machinists have learned ways to minimize the negative effects associated with heat transfer through various types of pre- and post-processing. These additional steps considerably increase the complexity and cost of the machining operation.