A system for shaping the output pulse of a Q-spoiled laser is described. With this system, light pulses having a half-peak width no greater than 250 ps have been produced. Equally as important, there is only a marginal decrease, due to the additional optical circuitry, in the peak intensity value between the original Q-switched pulse and the final shaped pulse. A laser-triggered spark gap is used to generate the controlling electrical pulses which are generated with a rise time of less than 180 ps. The design of a Pockels cell is described which has an optical aperture of 5 mm and an electrical rise time of 74 ps.