Beam scatter is the amount of light scattering or beam spread. Manufacturers use specific measurements of beamwidth, including beam and field angles, and issue bulletins with this data for comparison. The beam angle is the angle of diffusion of the beam from the center of the beam. The angle of view is the angle from the imaginary centerline of the beam to a point where the light intensity is low. Lighting designers use beam and field angle data to position the lights for the best coverage. Lasers have a very narrow beam spread by design.
When light leaves a flashlight or light fixture, it widens and widens as the distance increases. Beam scatter is an industry term for the amount of light scattering or beam spread. Manufacturers use specific measurements of beamwidth, including beam and field angles, and issue bulletins with this data for comparison.
The beam angle is the value showing the angle of diffusion of the beam from the center of the beam. This is measured by drawing an imaginary line from the center of the bulb, which is the center of the light beam. The angle is observed where the light intensity outside the beam has dropped to 50 percent of maximum light. The beam angle will be narrow for a spotlight designed to illuminate smaller areas and will be wider for a floodlight used to illuminate larger areas.
The angle of view is a standard measure of the angle from the imaginary centerline of the beam to a point where the light intensity is low. Manufacturers normally check the angle of view when the light intensity has been reduced to 10% of maximum. This angle is sometimes called the cutoff angle, but the intent is to show the effective illumination area of a bulb or fixture.
The beam spread values use angles instead of distances. When lighting designers place fixtures in a room, they use lights that provide a specific light intensity, usually measured in lumens. Lights can also be chosen for their color temperature, which will provide light with a different color in a range from yellow to white to blue. Distances of light fixtures from walls and floors can vary greatly, but the designer uses beam and field angle data to position the lights for the best coverage.
Stage lights used for theatrical performances have published beam spread data, but many of these lights can also be adjusted manually. Hanging stage lighting can have adjustable gates that will block light from selected areas, creating light and dark areas for a dramatic effect. Spotlights used to highlight a performer or part of the stage have lenses that can change the beam from narrow to wide, as well as change the shape and color of the beam.
Lasers have a very narrow beam spread by design, because the light beam is aligned or oriented in only one direction by the shape of the cylinder or tube of the laser. Beam scattering can occur for two reasons, diffraction and scattering. Diffraction occurs when the light beam is turned at a slightly different angle than it is passing through the lens. Diffusion is a gradual diffusion of light from dust, moisture, and other particles in the air, causing the light to reflect slightly. Laboratory lasers are often used in very clean rooms and vacuum chambers to remove air and dust and minimize spread.
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