Wide Beam laser from singular point

[aje]

Just wondering if people could help me with any ideas here. Is there a way that you could beam a laser repeatedly perpendicular to a line? E.g. could you have 1 laser in the corner of a tennis court baseline which shines width ways across the court repeatedly up to the net? Current ideas would be widening the beam but thought people on the site might be able to help.

 

[shrinking_ultraviolet]

You can buy a laser with a line lens? I'm not sure I'm imagining the situation you have in mind though -- could you post a diagram?

 

[aje]

Something like this. so there is a single laser but beaming multiple times across in the direction of the arrows

 

[aje]

Would appreciate it if anyone could suggest some ideas! thanks

 

[RA_pierce]

Would appreciate it if anyone could suggest some ideas! thanks

This can be done with partially transparent mirrors positioned at the start of each "line," set at a 45 degree angle from the laser source. The last mirror can be a "normal" fully reflective mirror. The power will diminish by a fixed proportion with each mirror, resulting in very little power left at the last line.

It would probably be more practical to just get 5 lasers for this and set them up individually. Alignment will be easier and you will have consistent power for each beam.

Why would you want to do this? The beams will not be visible unless you are using a very powerful laser which will be costly and extremely hazardous. Similarly, the spot will be difficult to see at the end of each line under daylight or normal tennis court lighting unless you use a dangerously powerful laser.

Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, my impression is that a laser is the wrong tool for the job.

 

[Encap]

Whatever it is you are trying to accomplish, my impression is that a laser is the wrong tool for the job.

Agree with that part.

The answer is "No" to his actual question . 1 laser in a corner from a singular point and nothing else, whether he means beams above and across a court surface or lines projected onto the surface of a court is just an imagining/dream world thing with no consideration of the physics of laser light or laser safety expressed or implied and is not going to happen.

Application-wise hitting mirrors or multiple lasers on the singles or doubles sidelines with high speed tennis balls also not a viable solution if the court is ever going to be used for playing tennis which in addition would be safety hazard for players to navigate around or trip over and so on, so....

 

[aje]

Thanks both for your replies. Encap, why wouldn't multiple lasers be an option? For an example, on the base line of a tennis court, why couldn't you shine a laser across to detect 'out' and simply create a circuit for when the beam distance is 'cut-off'?

 

[kecked]

I’m confused. Sounds like you want to shine a laser down the baseline and have it magically make a right angle on its own. You could put five lasers way behind the line and have them draw across the court. one set covering both sides.

problem is the floor will never be precisely flat enough to make the beam just hit the surface all the way across such a distance. Try a video projector from above.