A pulsed energy weapon is any weapon that:-

• Uses pulses of electricity to fire a projectile, or
• Operates by transferring electric current to its target.

These weapons often use large CapacitorsA capacitor is an electrical device that can store energy in the electric field between a pair of closely spaced conductors (called 'plates'). When current is applied to the capacitor, electric charges of equal magnitude, but opposite polarity, build up on each plate. Capacitors are used in electrical circuits as energy-storage devices. They can also be used to differentiate ...Capacitors to build up a charge which is released when the weapon is fired. Large high-end systems sometimes use CompulsatorsA compulsator is the short name for a compensated pulsed alternator, a form of power supply. As the name suggests, it is an alternator that is "compensated" (see below) to make it better at delivering pulses of electrical energy than a normal alternator.Compulsators which store charge using rotational force. Weapons which do not use projectiles, such as the stun gun and laser gun, do not need any ammunition other than a power source.