As I wrote in a former post, I would test the laser power of the small IR laser. I got myself a tiny HWLPM-Mini 10W. It isn’t very accurate and usually measures up to 7% higher than the real power. The smallest step is 1mW and pointing the IR laser at it, powered with 3.3V coming from a D1Mini, it leaves the display of the laser-meter at 0.000W.
While the max voltage of the laser is 3.5V , the specs look pretty realistic with 0.6-0.9mW. So at 3.3V it probably will be around 0.7-0.8mW.
You may say the laser-meter is broken, no it actually isn’t. I tested two laser pointers at it and was a bit shocked, the blue one ends up at 28mW after 20 seconds, the red one at 6mW, so they are both far over the 1mW rate they are sold at and the blue is even far above the 5mW labeled sticker on it. So watch your eyes when using these.
Conclusion: The IR laser might actually be an option.