Laser Pointer Shapes

[burgh]

Hello all

I signup to this web site to specifically get some help/education on some laser pointer basics. I know the laser dot and the laser line are the traditional forms of laser pointer, like what you see in any home improvement leveling tool. From looking at my own laser level I see that the line beem is just the dot beem deflected thourgh a bunch of prizm like lenses.... Please feel free to correct my sientific-like explination. But I was wondering do they make lenses that can beem squares and ovals, and shapes. etc..., not a large solid object but a outlined object. and where do I find one. Please don't get to technical on me.

Later
Matt

 

[chuckknight]

Yes, and they often include them with inexpensive LASER pointers.

Basically, they're a holographic diffraction grating (technical term, sorry) that gets screwed onto the front of the pointer and then deflects a part of the beam to another point. The usual designs are arrows, animals or constellations, words like WOW, and stuff like that.

-- Chuck Knight

 

[burgh]

Thanks Chuck

Thats exactly what I was trying to find out. Don't worry the holographic diffraction grating wasn't to hard to understand. Where can I find a suppler or maker. I actually have an industrial application that I want to explore.

Again Thanks

 

[SenKat]

I recall this idea being tossed around a while back - what YOU could do - is find someone who etches glass - and have some made - like a frosted area all around the shape, and then the part you want projected would have to be clear. What I recall is this - those "inexpensive" pointers that have those cool little interchangeable tips on them are actually sand blasted, and produced in quantities large enough to validate the manufacturing.

 

[burgh]

Hey Guys

This weekend I bought one of those cheep little key chain with the interchangeable tips and I defy you to tell me what the design of the projection is by looking at the lense in the tip. The one thing I found is that the lense is plastic and the design even with a large magnafying glass is invisible to the naked eye. But I do decect that holograpic checker pattern, mabey...... I don't think the lenses are fosted/etched/sand blaster. Has anybody else looked at one of these lenses? Does anyone know who makes or how these things are made?

For SenKat, 1st cool avitar, 2nd if I get the glass frosted except for the desired shape wouldnt the laser just pass through the glass and not spread and how small does the frosting have to be. If the key chain leaser I just got, tips lense is so small I can't see the shape how will I be able to frost the glass that small?

Thanks in advance guys

 

[SenKat]

I am very sorry to say that I do not have an adequate answer for you - other than repeating what I "heard" either here, or on another forum - is that they were actually either engraved, or sandblasted (most likely computer controlled) in order to get those designs in them.