An electrolaser is a type of electroshock weapon that is also a directed-energy weapon. It uses lasers to form an electrically conductive laser-induced plasma channel (LIPC). A fraction of a second later, a powerful electric current is sent down this plasma channel and delivered to the target, thus functioning overall as a large-scale, high energy, long-distance version of the Taser electroshock gun.

Alternating current is sent through a series of step-up transformers, increasing the voltage and decreasing the current. The final voltage may be between 108 and 109 volts.[citation needed] This current is fed into the plasma channel created by the laser beam.

A laser-induced plasma channel (LIPC) is formed by the following process:

A laser emits a laser beam into the air.
The laser beam rapidly heats and ionizes surrounding gases to form plasma.
The plasma forms an electrically conductive plasma channel.

Because a laser-induced plasma channel relies on ionization, gas must exist between the electrolaser weapon and its target. If a laser-beam is intense enough, its electromagnetic field is strong enough to rip electrons off of air molecules, or whatever gas happens to be in between, creating plasma. Similar to lightning, the rapid heating also creates a sonic boom.[citation needed]