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chemical laser

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Definition of chemical laser

: a laser that uses a chemical reaction (such as combustion) as an energy source The weapon is the chemical laser, which gets its energy from the combustion of fuels similar to those in rocket engines. Though much of its energy is lost as heat, significant amounts can be extracted by mirrors and resonant chambers, emerging as a concentrated beam of light that in theory can flash across space to zap speeding missiles thousands of miles away.— William J. Broad

Examples of chemical laser in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Rather than a chemical laser, PASS used a solid-state, electrically powered laser. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 23 May 2022 The technology has now shifted from the chemical laser, which required corrosive and toxic chemicals to induce a beam and machinery almost the size of an on-site laboratory, to the solid-state laser, which needs only copious amounts of electricity. — New York Times, 3 June 2022 Rather than a chemical laser, PASS used a solid-state, electrically powered laser. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 23 May 2022 Rather than a chemical laser, PASS used a solid-state, electrically powered laser. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 23 May 2022 This was previously explored in the Pulsed Energy Projectile, a US Army project involving a chemical laser in the early 2000s which vaporised outer clothing to produce a stunning but non-harmful flash-bang effect. — David Hambling, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2021 Jack's area of expertise was inventing and developing chemical lasers. — courant.com, 8 Sep. 2019 In the 2000s, the Pentagon dumped billions into a 747 modified to fire a chemical laser. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 17 Jan. 2019 The phenomena of short-pulse lasers are now far better understood, and the new solid-state lasers are cheaper, more reliable, and more robust than old chemical lasers. — David Hambling, Popular Mechanics, 14 Nov. 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chemical laser.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of chemical laser

1965, in the meaning defined above

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The first known use of chemical laser was in 1965

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Statistics for chemical laser

Last Updated

19 Jun 2022

Cite this Entry

“Chemical laser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemical%20laser. Accessed 8 Aug. 2022.

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