Maser

A maser was a type of energy weapon, similar to but distinct from a laser. Masers used kinetic energy as well as laser energy to damage a target.

Behind the scenes

Maser is a real-world acronym for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, a type of energy beam similar to a laser, but based on the use of microwave radiation rather than visible light. It is not clear, however, what the exact difference is between a Chiss maser and a standard Star Wars laser, especially as maser beams in the "Galaxy far, far away" are described as having a distinct particle component.

In Star Wars canon, however, "laser" is often used as a generic term for weapons such as turbolasers and blasters, where a laser is simply used to trigger a projectile charge of the fictional substance known as blaster gas. It is thus possible that a Star Wars "maser" is a similar system that uses a microwave-based beam rather than a laser.

Appearances

• Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka (Single Source)