Is there a infrared beam out there that is as accurate as a simple laser beam. Like the laser beams found in laser pointers? If there is where can I get my grubby hands on it?

 

AFAIK a laser form an old CDROM is an IR laser, but you will have a lot of trouble colimating it though. Also there are "true" lasers like CO2 which I think produces IR light.

There may be some premade ir lasers for scientists, but I would guess those would be hard to get and pricey.

Nevertheless, how about asking uncle Google? Try "ir laser pointer" for starters.

 

There is a 30mW collimated IR laser diode available on this page:
http://www.amazing1.com/infrared-lasers.htm
but beware, any lasers over 5mW require the use of protective eyewear.

 

Thanks SgtWookie, I checked your website suggestion out and its interesting. My intention was to use it as a trip beam for wildlife photographs. I was concerned with a laser pointer type the animals eyes might be damaged but did not realise an infrared laser can do the same.Ummm...rethink, again. Anyway your help is always appreciated. JDR04

 

Maybe this can point you into the right direction:
http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0406100.htm

"I use a Radio Shack Pulsed Infrared Invisible Beam Intrusion Sensor Cat. No. 49-551A wired to two leads of the electronic cable release."

 

You don't need a laser to detect wildlife passing between an emitter and a detector, unless the wild life is the size of a mosquito. Any light source will do, it doesn't have to be a narrow beam. You can use any IR LED for that purpose, but it will help if you can restrict the field of view of your detector (for example, you can use two disks with apertures inside a tube) so that you don't pick up light reflected off of the surroundings.

In the old days, optical triggers, such as those that opened doors used incandescent lamps and a simple convex lens)

 

Thanks SgtWookie, I checked your website suggestion out and its interesting. My intention was to use it as a trip beam for wildlife photographs. I was concerned with a laser pointer type the animals eyes might be damaged but did not realise an infrared laser can do the same.Ummm...rethink, again. Anyway your help is always appreciated. JDR04

You have the option of using lasers or LEDs made for long wavelength fiber optic communications at 1550 nm. This wavelength is considered "eye safe". Note that the term "eye safe" is a bit of a misnomer because any laser radiation can harm eyes or skin if the power is high enough. However, eye-safe lasers are at a wavelength that gets absorbed by water molecules. Hence, such radiation does not get inside the eye to damage the sensitive retina, but is absorbed at the surface of the eye, in tears, basically.

So, you can use a 1550 nm laser or ELED, at 5 mW or less and you would be using extra caution because the power is low and the wavelength is safer. Granted, this is not the most cost effective solution, but it should work, could be at a reasonable price and won't harm humans or animals. Note that the cost of the detector also goes up too because you can't use typical silicon detectors at 1550 nm.

I expect you won't use this approach because simpler and cheaper options are available to you above. However, I thought it's better for you to have all options presented to you.