Laser isotope separation by multiple photon absorption

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866207

Robinson, C Paul ^[1]; Rockwood, Stephen D ^[1]; Jensen, Reed J ^[1]; Lyman, John L ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

Multiple photon absorption from an intense beam of infrared laser light may be used to induce selective chemical reactions in molecular species which result in isotope separation or enrichment. The molecular species must have a sufficient density of vibrational states in its vibrational manifold that, is the presence of sufficiently intense infrared laser light tuned to selectively excite only those molecules containing a particular isotope, multiple photon absorption can occur. By this technique, for example, intense CO.sub.2 laser light may be used to highly enrich .sup.34 S in natural SF.sub.6 and .sup.11 B in natural BCl.sub.3.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4655890
• OSTI ID: 866207
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

laser
isotope
separation
multiple
photon
absorption
intense
beam
infrared
light
induce
selective
chemical
reactions
molecular
species
result
enrichment
sufficient
density
vibrational
manifold
presence
sufficiently
tuned
selectively
excite
molecules
containing
particular
occur
technique
example
highly
enrich
34
natural
sf
11
bcl
particular isotope
multiple photon
photon absorption
sufficient density
infrared laser
molecules containing
molecular species
laser light
chemical reaction
isotope separation
laser isotope
chemical reactions
selectively excite
selective chemical
intense infrared
intense beam
molecular specie
induce selective
highly enrich
/204/