Field modulator

Originally designed for emergency rescues situations, field modulators were developed to provide an alternative method of circumventing force fields. Force fields are in common use all over the known galaxy. There are two standard ways of removing a force field. Either it can be turned off, or it can be overloaded.

Concentrated phaser fire is the simplest method of overloading force fields. However, some force fields are simply too strong to be overloaded with hand-held phasers, and others are in locations which could easily be damaged by high-energy phaser fire. Since the invention of field modulators, these devices have proven to be quite popular with rescue workers and archaeologists investigating the ruins of highly advanced civilizations, as well as with thieves and intelligence operatives.

Field modulators set up destructive interference patterns which will temporarily negate a force field. The devices come in pairs. One modulator must be placed to either side of the doorway or other opening protected by the force field. Then, using a tricorder or similar sensor, the resonant frequency of the force field must be determined. This process usually takes between tens seconds and ten minutes. Once the resonant frequency has been found, the field modulators are set to that frequency and the force field is temporarily removed. Certain high-security force fields use continuously variable frequency modulation to defeat such attempts.

As long as both field modulators are undisturbed the force field remains disabled. However, the field will reestablish itself immediately if either of the modulators is removed or deactivated. Many field modulators lack the power to deactivate the high-powered deflector shields used on starships, but larger field modulators exist which can even deactivate a small section of those powerful force fields. These larger field modulators are over two meters tall and have a mass of at least 50 kg each. Smaller ones are about a tenth of a kilogram and 30 cm x 2 cm in size.

Reference(s)

• Isaacs, Ross A., et al. Starfleet Academy Handbook, New York: Last Unicorn Games, 1999.