Hi,
George talks about beam vs. pulse laser and makes some decent points.
Yes, pulse lasers do more damage than beam lasers. But Usually,
pulse lasers pulse in the kilohertz range. This, to the human eye
makes it basically perform as a beam laser. The reason more damage
is done is manly not for the arguments you make, but because, when a
powerful laser hits a target, it vaporizes the first layer of what it
hits. That vapor (metal, water whatever) forms a cloud around what
has been hit. That cloud reflects and refracts the beam of the laser.
A pulse timing allows the cloud to disapate so that the laser can
burn off the next layer of the target.
George's discription of a pulse laser is more along the lines of
one large pulse. Over a short amount of time rather than over a
continuous beam. Thus all the energy of the beam arrives at one
short interval (& small location) This is akin to having a large
laser and turning the power up and down when it is on target.
The same pulse laser he describes should be able to be turned on
as a continuous pulse laser of a higher power draw, (with attendant
cooling problems) & it would drain the battery faster.
Now, beam or pulse (which ever you wanna call it) A beam could
easily be expanded to attack a persons eyes. It would be the
most common laser injury. Imagine: A laser weapon with a 1Kw beam
with a beam radius of 1 mm. Zap!
Ok, as the beam is expanded, the power will drop off as 1/r^2.
So... a beam with a 100 mm beam would have a localized beam strength
of .1 watt. 100mw. Now a 100 mw beam is quite sufficient to cause
severe retinal damage (I'm pretty sure 100mw is a class 4 laser).
I got hit with far less power than that. (Thank GOD!)
But your beam is now 20 centimeters in diameter. That's like a small
flashlight. It's pretty *hard* to miss with something like that.
}Personally, I'll take a pulse laser. Can you run it continously
}at low-power mode to act as its own targeting aid? Yes, sure, no problem
}if you design it right. Will firing it at the second it is held steady
}on the target be easier than with a laser-sighted rifle or pistol? Nope.
}Same problem, though you won't get recoil after you fire.
But it will be easier for rapid fire than a rifle or pistol.
2G Scott