Looking for specific laser

[aray]

Hi all, I’m new to lasers to please take it easy on me. I am looking for a green line laser to create the “liquid sky” Halloween effect. Something just bright enough to do the job (maybe 3-5mw) that has a quality IR filter for added protection in case my kiddos decide to put it in their face. I have searched all over and can not find anything that I perceive to be reliably safe. Any suggestions?

I have found a 10mw laser through a Halloween effect company, but unsure if this is too much power and if it has an IR filter.

 

[vortish]

you can by ir filters on ebay or amazon for cheap if your worried about it not having one. and you really should try to keep it below 5 mw

 

[aray]

Thank you so much for your input. I have come across a couple US companies that produce laser pointer style products with IR filters, could a line beam filter be applied to one of these to achieve the line effect?

 

[BowtieGuy]

First of all, Welcome to LPF!

Secondly, don't ever let your kids put any laser up to their eyes!

Here are a couple offerings that may have "real" 5mW outputs, they still shoud be measured to be sure they're actually 5mW or less.

I don't know your price range, but finding a true <5mW laser can be harder and costlier than picking up one of those $5 cheapies advertised at 5mW, but they may be much more powerful than 5mW.

• https://www.civillaser.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33

• http://www.aixiz.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/57/products_id/281

Edit: If you already have a laser module, you could just get a line generating lens for real cheap.

• http://www.aixiz.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/46/products_id/150

 

[paul1598419]

A 10 mW line laser should be okay for what you are trying to do. A kid would have to put the laser up to his eye to get it damaged as the power is dissipated across the line and is not a dot. Actually, the amount of IR leaking out of a 5 or 10 mW 532nm laser would be very small indeed. Most leak about 20% of the visible light as IR.

 

[Benm]

Well, you shouldn't even give kids the chance to put a laser directly up to their eyes. With a line generating optic in place it would not be dangerous at any realistic distance (say a foot away), but kids can be idiots.

This would apply to things like high output flashlights too though, if you get something like a 10 watt LED flashlight and put it right in your face and then turning it on you could also do some damage - certainly with kids that can focus very well on objects very close to their eyes. By the time you reach reading-glasses-age this problem isn't too bad since cannot focus a small point of light straight onto your retina (well, unless you were wearing the glasses when testing a flashlight pointing it straight in your face.)

 

[aray]

Totally understood, this is why I am taking time to learn about safe operating, power, and necessary filters before purchasing. When I was a kid I begged my dad to buy a laser pointer l, when he finally did, I shot it right in my eye just to see what happened. Luckily no permanent damage.

Without testing the power (having the equipment or knowing how to) how would I know what I am purchasing is in fact 5mw or 10mw? BowtieGuy suggested one from civillaser and one from aixiz, neither of them mention having an IR filter, can I truest their output is not way more than advertised? Is there a way to add an IR filter? Thanks again for all the great information. I have enjoyed learning about the science of lasers. Hell until this week I had no idea that such powerful lasers were so easily available.

 

[smallfreak]

Only the 532nm lasers produce IR that might leak out. 520nm is a pure green.

The reason for the IR in the 532nm modules is how the green light is produced. There you start with a powerful IR diode (808nm) that pumps a YAG crystal that itself lases at 1064nm. THIS light is fed into a frequency doubling crystal where it leaves at 532nm.
Together with unabsorbed 808nm from the primary diode and unconverted 1064nm from the YAG.

520nm for instance is easy. Thats the output of the diode. No strings attached.

If you are concerned about IR, stay away from DPSS Lasers (Diode Pumped Solid State). They still are available in other colors too, but most are "Direct Diode".

Hell until this week I had no idea that such powerful lasers were so easily available.

#metoo