Laser

A laser, laser beam, or energy bolt was created when energy-rich gas induced light, which would then be concentrated to form a focused high-energy beam of light. Depending on the hardness and density of the target's surface and the intensity of these beams, the resulting impact could melt through targets, create explosions and even disintegrate objects.

The type of gas used to create the laser dictated the beams' color and qualities. The most common color was red because of its cheaper tibanna gas from Bespin. Green beams were produced from a higher-quality gas, thus costing more. Blue beams used ion-based charges for more effectiveness against electronic and mechanical targets, such as droids. Orange beams were low powered and used more in training.

Throughout the galaxy, lasers were most often employed in the form of laser cannons. Another laser weapon was the DLT-18 laser rifle. The primary weapon of the Death Star was an exceedingly powerful superlaser capable of obliterating an entire planet. A superlaser was also employed on its successor.

Text and facts from the “Laser” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.