A Working Lightsaber?

[Sayonara]

Yeah' date=' but lightsabers are about a metre long, then the beam of energy just stops for no reason.

 

Why don't lightsabers have an infinite length?[/quote']

In the mythological Star Wars universe, the energy beam given off by the light saber emitters is passed through fictional Adegan crystals, which bend it into an acute asymptotic path. The energy loops back to the handle. What happens to it then is never specified afaik - since you never see a Jedi fumbling with batteries, presumably the handle can reabsorb some energy thereby prolonging the life of the onboard store.

[Klaynos]

What is the structure of this crystal?

[Sayonara]

I don't think that was ever explained.

[Klaynos]

I don't think that was ever explained.

 

Ah right so in that case it's not really an explination of how it works.

 

It's like saying "this light sabre works because of how it functions, but the details of that I'm not going to tell you"

[Sayonara]

I did say "mythological" and "fictional".

[Klaynos]

I did say "mythological" and "fictional".

 

Indeed you did, it wasn't a comment aimed at yourself.

[Lance]

I did say "mythological" and "fictional".

 

I'm curious how you got to this conclusion. Did you travel forward in time or something? Because nowhere did he say "is it possible with current technology".

[Klaynos]

I'm curious how you got to this conclusion. Did you travel forward in time or something? Because nowhere did he say "is it possible with current technology".

 

Show me some current theory where it would be possible.

[Sayonara]

I'm curious how you got to this conclusion. Did you travel forward in time or something? Because nowhere did he say "is it possible with current technology".

That seems a somewhat inappropriate and irrelevant reply.

 

I was responding specifically to Transdecimal's question "Why don't lightsabers have an infinite length?" in post 16.

 

One does not have to travel in time to find such information - one only needs to visit the Star Wars Databank.

[Lance]

I think you both misunderstood me. You're probably right, it was inappropriate, but it was more poking fun at Icheb than you.

 

It would seem my humor is too subtle and not very funny.

[YT2095]

here`s an idea that Might work though!

 

think of a telescopic antenna, the automatic electrical sort used on cars with a mirror on the end.

then in the handle a laser with a cylindrical shape, it fires up at the mirror and back again bouncing happily AND covering the simple telescopic antenna harmlessly, so when you slice the laser destroys the sliceables long before it touches the fragile antenna.

it would be no good for stabing though, you`de probably need a sticky outy pointy bit for that and hope that no one notices!

 

ever wondered why the beam comes out quite slowly?

thats the antenna extending itself!

[Klaynos]

the problem with that is, if I want to stop you using your light sabre on me as I would, then I'd make some armour out of the same material of the mirror.

 

And in episode 1 the sabre's are stabed through blast doors... :\

[YT2095]

erm, it`s a contact sensitive mirror, and ceases reflectivity allowing the beam to pass through momentarily.

yeah, I`m pretty sure that`s how it`s done, it`s just Q-Switched

 

trust me, I`m a Jedi! and these are not the questions you`re looking for.

[herpguy]

trust me, I`m a Jedi! and these are not the questions you`re looking for.

These are not the questions I'm looking for.

Anyway, we need a way that the beam will not burn the user's hand...

[Quantoman]

i think plasma is the answer with a magnetic shield

to contain also for protection. it could be possible

within approx 20yrs. as fuel cells get denser could

potentially provide the energy needed.

 

 

can u say, "i am your father"?

[Quantoman]

how do u delete a post?

[antimatter]

The general idea for a functional lightsaber in the original Star Wars movies is in fact not a laser, but plasma. The plasma is held in it's form by a powerful magnetic field, because plasma is very magnetic. The answer I am giving is a no, but in the future it may be possible.

[Ozone]

Actually, inductively coupled plasma.

 

the "blade" length is limited to the gas flow rate (which is huge, something akin to 7 L/min ti get ~3 inches) and the RF power used to couple the plasma (once struck with a piezo electic crystal).

 

I suppose with a huge gas supply (to get the 3"er we use a N2(l) dewar...) and a high RF transmitter (which goes through a coil orthogonal to the "blade" (torch) axis). Huge machinery yes, unwieldy umbilical, yes, four foot ICP? Yes (green if using Ar, red, Ne, white He (though very difficult to couple)).

 

You couldn't spar with it, but it would look the part, and could certainly hack a car in-half (Light saber of life, anyone?). Heat would not be the issue. The coupling coil and quartz bonnet are mm for the torch and remain unscathed. What would get you, though, will be the *enormous* UV output. You will definitely get a tan. Oh well, they have cream for that.

 

Muuhaahaa, and all that,

 

O3

[bascule]

It's been done:

 

[antimatter]

I'm sorry, I'm not really sure what those units mean...like L/min~ 3in and RF power and N2(I) dewar, do you mind explaining some of those terms?

[Ozone]

Thanks, bascule ( I needed that)!

 

OK, sorry about the shorthand:

 

L/min = liters per minute

 

3 in = 3 inches (multiply by 2.54 for centimeters)

 

RF = radio frequency, expressed in watts (hence, power)

 

N2 = nitrogen (l) = liquid

 

dewar = an insulated vessel (double walled glass vessel where the interior is under vacuum) inside of a sturdy metal container which is used to store/transport liquified gasses (such as N2(l)).

 

Hope that helps,

 

O3

[antimatter]

Yes that actually helps a great deal, thanks

[padren]

I tried to make one while playing the Star Wars Galaxies MMO game a while back (my character did at least) and, you had to get all these crystals and do quests....it was kinda a pain.

 

But on a more serious note: You can make 'beam saber' weapons but, not like the classic star wars. You'd have to have a physical "saber" where the cutting section is somewhat concave, like a hacksaw, and a beam is emitted to a mirror or 'receiver' at the other end.

 

It would be useless as a thrusting weapon, and for slicing it would be hard to have the beam wide enough to account for the width of the bulk of the saber - especially at the tip that has to stop the continuing of the beam.

 

When it comes to laser weapons though, never bring a saber to a (laser) gun fight: Point and Click is a better user interface for laser weapons, overall. If you can have a saber with a terminating beam via a mechanical device at the end, unless you are recapturing that energy it would be equally efficient to hold the trigger on a comparable laser gun and "swing" it at someone at equal range.

[antimatter]

That's essentially why I though plasma would be a much more effective weapon than laser. I think that they use plasma for blasters also.

 

Why would it need a high radio frequency transmitter, and I also think that a dewar is a little unnecessary, can't a magnetic field just hold it in place...?

[Ozone]

Whoops, I am so used to seeing these dewars filled with N2 that I forgot to explicitly point out that you would need a huge vessel of liquid argon (to get the enormous amount of gas needed).

 

An RF coupled plasma torch is 1-2 cm in diameter.

 

You would need a dewar (for the incarnation I have in mind) because the Ar is not recycled, it diffuses into the surrounding air once is has escaped the RF coupled region. At the flow rates needed to achieve a long torch ("beam") the time spent as plasma will be very short.

 

The energy required to create and sustain a B field like that needed for this task would be quite large and/or require supercooled magnets (liquid helium, ~4 K, see NMR).

 

Either way, you could not carry this device around with you. You could take some wicked photos/cut some stuff, etc.

 

Hypothetically speaking,

 

O3