How to Build a Laser Death Ray
For Science Fiction Settings
Basic Concepts
Categories
Heat Rays
Blasters
Ray Beams
Applications
Point and zone defense
Anti-personnel
Anti-armor
Anti-aircraft
Anti-spacecraft
Performance
Aiming
Sighting
Vibration control
Range
Focus
Diffraction
Absorption and Scattering
Linear Absorption & Scattering
Two-Photon Absorption
Ionization
Single Photon Ionization
Atmospheric Breakdown
Stimulated Scattering
Twinkle
Thermal blooming
Depth of Field
Self Focusing & Filamentation
Signatures
Visibility
Sound
Damage
Aspect Ratio of Drilled Holes
Material Response to Laser Radiation
Penetrating Radiation
Safety
Eye Damage
Ionizing Radiation
Generating the Beam
Amplification
Spontaneous Amplified Emission
Reflective Resonant Cavities
Diffractive Cavities
Directing the Beam
Mirrors
Windows
Beam Splitters
Lenses
Fresnel Lenses
Zone Plates
Grazing Incidence Mirrors
Diffraction Gratings (including x-ray crystal diffraction)
Fiber Optics
Adaptive Optics
Beam Pointer Telescopes
Design Considerations
Heat Buildup
Survival of Optical Elements
Wavelengths
Far Infrared
Mid Infrared
Near Infrared
Visible
Near Ultraviolet
Vacuum Ultraviolet and Extreme Ultraviolet
Soft X-ray
Hard X-ray
Gamma Ray
Varieties
Gas Lasers
Chemical Lasers
Diode Lasers
Solid State Lasers
Free Electron Lasers
Overview
Accelerators
Electrostatic
Syncrotrons
Linacs
Energy Recover Linacs
Wigglers
Power Supplies
Generators
Turbine Generators
Flux Compression Generators
Magnetohydrodynamic Generators
Photovoltaic Cells
Energy Storage
Batteries
Capacitors
Flywheels
Superconductive Solenoids
Worked Examples
The Ravening Interplanetary Death Beam
Space Dominance Laser
The Kuoian Sheet Laser