No, the terms picosecond and micron are pretty integral to the process. Imagine using a propane torch to heat up the side of a single brick in an apartment building wall for a few seconds. The temperature change in that brick, considerable compared to all the others, will have effectively no impact on the building itself.

As long as the thermal strain(deformation) and therefore stress is managed, it would be fine. There are design tables and values that one can refer to that limit maximum cyclic stress which might be particularly applicable here.

Definitely possible, but I think that's something you could engineer your way out of by being very selective with materials, building in strain relief. Then of course test test test.