Repetition rate is how many laser pulses are emitted each second, usually measured in hertz (Hz). A laser with a higher repetition rate fires more often, while a lower repetition rate leaves longer gaps between bursts. This term is important because a pulsed laser’s effect is not described by peak power alone: repetition rate helps determine average power, heat buildup, and how much energy is delivered over time.
In practice, repetition rate changes how a system behaves in testing, safety analysis, and attack scenarios involving optical equipment. A high rate can make pulses seem almost continuous to a sensor, while a low rate may produce isolated, high-intensity bursts. Defenders use this timing information to assess exposure limits, filter transient signals, and detect abnormal optical activity. It is different from pulse duration, which is the length of one burst, and from peak power, which is the instantaneous power inside that burst.