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Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!dmmartindale
From: dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Newsgroups: net.arch
Subject: Re: Re: seeking information on lasers an - (nf)
Message-ID: <2374@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Apr-84 16:19:04 EST
Article-I.D.: watcgl.2374
Posted: Thu Apr  5 16:19:04 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Apr-84 02:20:19 EST
References: <2964@fortune.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 13

From talking to a few people who put on commercial laser shows, it seems
that they tend to use krypton lasers with powers ranging from one to
several WATTS of beam power.  They are VERY careful that the box containing
all of the optics is closed whenever the beam is on, and that the apertures
through which the beam projects are properly masked so that the beam cannot
hit anything except the screen at which it is aimed, which is a diffuse
reflector.  And these lasers are expensive, apparently somewhat finicky,
and require water cooling.

There are small lasers available with beam powers under a milliwatt for
moderate prices, which would be much safer to play with.  But they aren't
going to be as bright as you'd like.  And you still want to avoid any
chance of looking directly at the beam if you can help it.