Quote: (Otterman @ 20 May 2009, 23:27 )
Quote: (Lion in the Stars @ 17 May 2009, 15:02 )
No, I can see a need for a high-ROF 'gatling' laser, the same reason for gatling guns:  cooling.  If each individual laser pulse is intense enough to significantly heat the lasing apparatus, then you'd need a cooling mechanism of some kind (you certainly do now, they're just at the stage of liquid-cooling).  *IF* a high-speed 'gatling' configuration could be lighter than an equivalent liquid-cooling rig, then you'd see gatling lasers.
Good point. Now I'm curious as to how I would make a cooling apparatus...
Nah, pulsing has already gone down to nanosecond bursts, and an efficient laser-type gun could pulse so fast no amount of rotation could keep up with it. Our old monster CO2 laser manages 5millisecond pulses (5ms on, 5ms off), and it's at least 10 years old now.
So no Gatling. Too unrealistic.... a laser with 6 barrels WOULD FIRE ALL BARRELS AT ONCE ÂÂ

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Cooling - the coolest (oww, puns unmoderated by coffee ARE painful!) way would be to go for large cylinders of liquid nitrogen and thick industrial piping to deliver the coolant.
