"The particle accelerator is the source of high-energy particle beam and is therefore the heart of the particle beam weapon system. Three main constituents of the particle accelerator are: the source of particles such as electrons, protons or charged atoms, the device that injects these particles into the accelerating section and finally the accelerating section itself."
https://www.electronicsforu.com/technology-trends/particle-beam-weapons-technology-areas-advantages-limitations
"A particle-beam weapon is a weaponized version of this technology. It accelerates charged particles (in most cases electrons, positrons, protons, or ionized atoms, but very advanced versions can accelerate other particles such as mercury nuclei) to near-light speed and then directs them towards a target. The particles' kinetic energy is imparted to matter in the target, inducing near-instantaneous and catastrophic superheating at the surface, and when penetrating deeper, ionization effects that can destroy electronics"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle-beam_weapon
"The idea of the things is simple: use electromagnetic fields to accelerate a charged particle, like in a particle accelerator, and shoot stuff with it."
"To create an ionized gas, you either remove electrons from the atoms of the gas so it has too few, or add them so it has too many. This ionizes it, a.k.a. charges it. When charged, the gas can be accelerated by magnetism, and is usually super-heated. Then you can use it for beams.
Creating plasma is something we can actually do using the current state of technology."
https://martinstellinga.com/science/the-science-of-particle-beam-weapons/
"The plasma, mercury based, is pressurized at 250,000 atmospheres at a temperature of 150 degrees Kelvin and accelerated"
https://theeventchronicle.com/secret-plane-tr-3b-patent/
"The U.S. Department of Defense wants to test a directed energy weapon in space, one that it hopes will someday destroy ballistic missiles moments after launch. The weapon, a so-called neutral particle beam, would be boosted into space and tested from orbit in 2023."
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a26858944/pentagon-particle-beam-space-2023/
The Worldwide Electromagnetic Weapons Industry is Expected to Reach $1.2 Billion by 2026
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-worldwide-electromagnetic-weapons-industry-is-expected-to-reach-1-2-billion-by-2026--301386789.html