For processing electric circuit substrates, a laser source with a diode-pumped. quality-controlled, pulsed solid-state laser is used. The laser is able to emit laser radiation with a wavelength between 266 nm and 1064 nm, a pulse repetition rate between 1 kHz and 1 MHz and a pulse length of 30 ns to 200 ns with an average laser power between 1 W and around 5 W. Pre-specified operating modes can be set via a controller, depending on an area of application, with the appropriate different combinations of laser power and repetition rate. Thus, the same laser can optionally be used to perform a drilling operation, an etch removal operation or an exposure operation. Using a galvo mirror deflector unit that can also be controlled via the deflection unit, the laser beam may be deflected on the substrate in accordance with the relevant operating mode.