A wireless identification system can include a directed-energy device configured as a reader. The reader can include a charged particle generator configured to generate energized particles and a charge transformer configured to receive the energized particles that include charged particles from the charged particle generator and to output a wavefront including energized particles that include particles having substantially zero charge. The system can also include an identification tag configured to be activated when impinged by the wavefront from the reader so as to transmit a signal configured to be used by the reader. A method of using a directed-energy device as a tag reader in a wireless identification system can include generating a wavefront that includes particles at substantially zero charge, impinging an identification tag with the wavefront so as to activate the identification tag so as to send a signal and detecting a signal transmitted by the identification tag.