A method is used in processing structures on or within a semiconductor substrate using N series of laser pulses to obtain a throughput benefit, wherein N≧2. The structures are arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows extending in a generally lengthwise direction. The N series of laser pulses propagate along N respective beam axes until incident upon selected structures in N respective distinct rows. The method determines a joint velocity profile for simultaneously moving in the lengthwise direction the N laser beam axes substantially in unison relative to the semiconductor substrate so as to process structures in the N rows with the respective N series of laser pulses, whereby the joint velocity profile is such that the throughput benefit is achieved while ensuring that the joint velocity profile represents feasible velocities for each of the N series of laser pulses and for each of the respective N rows of structures processed with the N series of laser pulses. A semiconductor substrate is designed to have a structure layout that takes advantage of the N-fold processing parallelism provided by the N laser beams.
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