A method for use in controlling emission of an optical pulse from a laser comprises pumping a gain medium (10) of a laser at a rate which is limited so that free-running passive Q-switching of the laser is prevented regardless of a duration of pumping of the gain medium. The method further comprises triggering a saturable absorber (12) of the laser so as to reduce a laser cavity loss below a laser cavity gain and cause an optical pulse to be emitted from the laser at a desired emission time. Such a method may provide for the reduction of pulse-to-pulse timing jitter, the control of energy of the emitted optical pulse and/or for the suppression of the emission of multiple optical pulses that may otherwise occur for free-running passive Q-switching of the laser for sufficient gain medium pumping rates.
