Lasers
Background
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An abbreviation for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, the laser was
discovered on Earth in the early 20th century and came into widespread use as a weapon during
the mid 21st. Most lasers use a form of crystal or gas in which the electrons have been raised to
an excited state. Mirrors are then used to reflect stray photons back and forth through this
medium, provoking a cascade reaction which releases a burst of light. The beam emitted from a
laser is monochromatic, coherent, and has a very high intensity. High energy lasers are thus able
to focus large amounts of energy onto very small areas, which can result in considerable physical
damage.
.
History
.
Lasers remained in widespread use for some two hundred years, and were the main armament of
the Daedalus and Constitution class starships during the early years of the Federation. By 2255
the standard issue hand laser was capable of blasting through considerable thickness' of rock. A
larger artillery style ground cannon could provide heavy fire - this weapon could be rigged to run
from remote power sources if required, supplying sufficient power to blast half a continent.

Between 2255 and 2265 lasers where replaced in Starfleet service with the much superior
phasers. Today lasers are not a significant ship-to-ship weapon, as the navigational shields of a
Federation starship are immune to this form of energy. 1