Deflector shields, also known asdeflector screens,security deflector shields,security shields,deflectors, or simplyshields, were translucent or transparent energy fields produced bydeflector shield generators. These generators could be placed onplanets,droids,starships,space stations and individual buildings. The primary purpose of the shield was to block or deflect projectiles and lasers from hitting the object under protection. They could also provide a significant atmospheric speed boost,in some cases 36 times the speed of sound.
Deflector shields were electronic energy dampeners that wrapped a structure orstarship in a protective screen that was capable of blocking incoming energy and projectile attacks. Expensive to install, deflector shields required a lot of power to operate. However, they were lighter and smaller thanarmor plating.[2]
Deflector shields worked in a layered defense fashion: A volumetric field effect extended out from the surface of the shield projector, attempting to reduce the coherency of any beam attacks and deflect physical objects. The shield itself behaved in a manner similar to that of a thermally conductive material—energy applied was quickly diffused and re-radiated back into the environment, but the shield itself could also absorb some of the energy. The absorbed energy was shunted intoheat sinks, and re-radiated at a lesser rate by the shield andneutrino radiators. The use of deflector shields on starfighters and other small craft, made them capable of hypersonic speeds in planetary atmospheres.[3]
Ray shields were also used as capture devices onboardcapital ships;Obi-Wan Kenobi,Anakin Skywalker andSupreme ChancellorPalpatine were caught in a ray shield trap onboardInvisible Hand. Although designed to counter energy attacks, the energy given off by the ray shield would likely have disintegrated theJedi duo had they attempted to pass through it.
TheGungan shields used during theBattle of Naboo blocked lasers, but droids could pass through because of their relatively slow movement in comparison to the laser bolts. Some shields only held back anything with a high-energy output, allowing sentients to pass through unharmed. Others were deadly to anything upon contact. SomeTrade Federation droids, notably thedroideka, were equipped with shields making them almost invincible in infantry combat.
The strength of a deflector shield was a factor depending on how close the shield was to the projector, the efficiency of the projector, the power applied, and the surface area of the shield. It was common for starship deflectors to be projected a few molecules underneath the hull plating, and then extended outwards to protect hull integrity. Starship shields could handle massive amounts of energy or punishment, although it was possible to disable a shield by concentrating fire on a specific location.
Aside from the standard defensive shields carried by most ships, there were other variants:
Shift shields: These shields protected any ship traveling inhyperspace from collisions with interstellar atoms, dust, or dark matter. An unprotected collision would destroy the ship. Failure of the shift shields in a meteor shower was howDarth Vader explained the loss ofTantive IV to theImperial Senate prior to its dissolution.[5]
Thermal shields: These shields was a more powerful version of the more common deflector shield. Like the deflector shield, Thermal shields could deflect laser and projectile fire and could withstand a direct hit from a volley oftorpedoes. However, this absorbed at least half of the shield's power. Torpedoes could not be fired while thermal shields were up, as they would not be able to pass through the shield barrier. Once down, the shields could not be raised again until fully recharged. TheCISAdmiralTrench was known to have thermal shields installed on a number of his warships, including hisflagship. The shields were used to great effect during theblockade ofChristophsis. However, the recharge time of the shield resulted in the apparentdeath of Trench, after he lowered his shields to fire uponAnakin Skywalker's prototypeStealth ship. Thermal shielding was a protective cover forionization reactors aboard theT-65 X-wing starfighters.
Relativistic shields: Not shields in the classic sense, but relativistic shields still insulated the user from outside forces, thus justifying their name. Under the normal application of physical laws, as one accelerated to speeds approaching that of light, time would dilate. Time flow was slowed for the traveler, yet for any (relatively) stationary observers, their specific experience of time would be much more rapid than the close-to-lightspeed traveler. Relativistic shields or Stasis fields effectively anchored the contents of the field to a specific relative condition of time passage. This function was essential for travel inhyperspace as it is strongly indicated that physical laws and phenomena do not behave the same there as inRealspace. Without Stasis fields, after a brief hyperspace jump, perhaps only seconds would have passed, or perhaps one would find themselves untold thousands of years in the future. See also:stasis fields.
A droideka deploying deflector shields while firing its blasters
History[]
A Mon Calamari star cruiser with reinforced deflector shields
"The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted."
Deflector shields were first developed during the early years of space exploration, designed to absorb heat andradiation encountered in space and within a planetaryatmosphere. Before the introduction of deflector shields,pilots had to rely solely on thick, armored hulls and panels of reflective armor for protection against meteors and laser attacks. More advanced versions of the energy shield were developed centuries later, until eventually modern shielding was able to combine ray and particle protection. Eventually, shield technology improved enough to allow some ground vehicles to have dedicated shield generators.
By the time of theBattle of Naboo, personal shields that covered an entire being existed, but produced radiation and magnetic fields that were dangerous for sustained use.
Appearances[]
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Main article:Personal energy shield
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