Could there be an element of Transporter tech or theory at work in a phaser? It might account for why there's no collateral damage. The phaser's beam works as a very crude transporter effect: destroying the target, but limiting the collateral damage.
Timo wrote:
|
Maybe (in universe) by TNG's time phasers have some sort of universal charge part or have a "emergency setting" that allows them to be used a battery packs for Starfleet tech.