Well,what i thought about the waves was that they would move in a single, controlled direction. much like this ---------------------> i wanted something easier to control than photons. The direction of the beam would be controlled similarly to that of fan.
Cosmic rays are charged sub-atomic particles (ions and plasma). In real life, Gamma Radiation is the most energetic form of light (it has the shortest wavelength). Electromagnetic radiation (light) being a quantum mechanical entity has a 50/50 chance of existing as a wave or particle, thus it would be difficult to make realistically. However, even a semi-realistic form of electromagnetic radiation would be an excellent addition to powder toy.