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I´m trying to simulate a laser beam in maxwell. Does anybody know if and how this can be done?

Thanks

well waxmell claims to be physically correct..so model a ruby tube with one mirror at one end and a partial mirror at the other. then model a flash tube coiled around the ruby tube and hit render

okay..that won't work..a laserbeam is only visible as the light get's picked up by the dust particles in the air..which give the beam it's special scattery look. modeling tiny emitters scattered along a line might work but rendertimes will be horribly long. i'm sure thomasan will have a great idea

Hi yolk,

you´re right, but there are several situations where the emitters do have a very specific characteristics (LED´s, Lasers, Laser LED´s, etc.).
In various 3d packages there are easy ways to simulate such emitters but I can´t find something similar in maxwell.

i think thomas an made once a rendering with a laserbeam..you might try and send him a pm

... done so - thanks

solved...

do you mind to share your trick?..many thanx in advance

...sorry yolk - of course not...

I´m working on a patent pending laser device, but there is no reason not to share a detail of visualization. I´m mainly using NL products for simulations.

I modelled the laser beam (3mm diameter) source as a perfect parabolic reflector and a very small light source (0.0015mm diameter). I then added a second reflector in front of the emitter to catch the rays which didn´t pass the first reflector (just to avoid any unparallel rays).

The problem was that the mesh of the reflector was to coarse - so that it was lacking precision. Since I didn´t knew how to change the parameter for the mesh generator I made a much more precise one in LW.

If you like I can send you some pictures on email (...still don´t know how to add images with this ...)

I made one a while ago - you wont see the long trail of the beam though as Maxwell has no 'atmosphere'....

very nice will

Yeah, way cool, Will!