Personal Phasers

The term 'phaser' is an acronym for PHAsed Energy Rectification.  Personal phasers were first developed by Starfleet in the 23rd century as a defensive beam weapon for use by personnel heading int uncertain situations.  There are three classes of personal phaser.  The Type 1 is a hand-sized unit, easily concealed; it is ideal for use on diplomatic or sensative missions, where it would be unwise to appear heavily armed.  Type 2 phasers are larger, more powerful weapons issued to personnel going into hostile environments.  The Type 3 phaser rifle is only issued in special situations.

All phaser types are capable of firing beams of varying power.  The settings include 'stun,' which renders an organic target unconscious; 'heat,' for warming objects such as rocks for use as heat or light sources; and 'disruption.'  This last setting destroys objects and almost any known life form.  In Type 1 and Type 2 phasers, energy is stored in a sarium krellide cell.  This can be recharged aboard ship through standard power taps, or in the field using portable bulk sarium krellide units.

Energy from the power cell is modulated by three interconnected parts:  the beam control assembly (the operating buttons), the safety interlock (to personalize the user), and the subspace transceiver assembly (which limits the power of shipboard firings).  Once the energy has passed through these control mechanisms, it is routed into the prefire chamber.  It is held here until the trigger is depressed, at which point the energyis passed to the emitter crystal.  There it is converted into a tuned phaser discharge and released according to the setting.