What increases side view of beam?

^Do you work for Crystalaser?

Hi ElektroFreak,
Yes, I work for CrystaLaser. crystalaser does not make laser pointers. However, crystalaser manufactures compact lasers for educational, scientific and industrial applications.

bootleg2go said:

Actually what makes the beam itself visible is totally dependent on the particle in the air.

Click to expand...

No, even in completely clean air, some portion of the beam will be visible as a result of Rayleigh scattering from air molecules. Rayleigh scattering is wavelength dependent, however, and will benefit shorter wavelength lasers most.

At extreme power levels, beams can be made very visible due to air ionization without regard to particulates. This takes very high laser power densities--it's achievable under limited conditions in a lab, but is far out of reach for handheld lasers.

YouTube - Laser induced air breakdown (w/sound)