Polaron beam
A polaron beam (alternatively called a polaron scan) was a type of ship-based sensor which used polaron particles to scan other vessels.

In 2372, Ensign Harry Kim experienced an accident involving a time stream while running a polaron scan using the shuttlecraft . Later, when recreating the accident in an alternate timeline while aboard the , he again ran a polaron scan. ()

Jem'Hadar fighters had the capability to conduct polaron scans and also used phased polaron beams as weapons. In 2373, the  detected one such vessel conducting polaron scans of the surrounding space, though it was unable to detect the cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey. ()

Borg cubes possessed polaron beams, capable of scanning through Federation shield technology. In 2373, one such cube momentarily stopped to scan the  during the pursuit of a Species 8472 bio-ship. ()

Sensor technology
Scans