Phaser

General term covering nadion-based particle beam weaponry
- Most well-associated with the Federation, but also independently developed by the Ferengi and Bajor
- Mid-22nd century, known as either phase pistols (handheld variants) or phase cannons (starship-mounted variants) (ENT)
- By late-22nd century, known colloquially as phasers (or occasionally lasers) (ENT Novel: Live By the Code; TOS: "The Cage")
Projects beam of rapid pulses of phased nadions at particular frequencies (TNG: "The Mind's Eye")
- Allowable frequency range for a given device determined by calibration of collimation lens (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Frequency of pulses determines color of beam (TNG: "Best of Both Worlds, Part I")
Beam effect ranges from light stun to heat to fatal nervous disruption to full disintegration
Hand weapons powered by sarium krellide cells (ENT: "The Andorian Incident"; TNG: "In Theory")
- General landing party protocol to carry one extra fully-charged cell in gear (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)

History

c.2240s: Development concludes on type-nine phaser banks
- This build was an experimentation with pulse phaser banks
- Starfleet standard by mid-2250s (DIS)
c.2250s: Development concludes on type-ten phaser banks; they are soon installed on Starfleet vessels, with the Constitution-class fleet the first to be upgraded
- This build was a reversion to beam-style phasers (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Large jump in power over type-nine (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours)
- Starfleet standard by late-2260s (TOS)