Selective laser ionization for mass-spectral isotopic analysis

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5811321

Miller, C M; Nogar, N S; Downey, S W

Resonant enhancement of the ionization process can provide a high degree of elemental selectivity, thus eliminating or drastically reducing the interference problem. In addition, extension of this method to isotopically selective ionization has the potential for greatly increasing the range of isotope ratios that can be determined experimentally. This gain can be realized by reducing or eliminating the tailing of the signal from the high-abundance isotope into that of the low-abundance isotope, augmenting the dispersion of the mass spectrometer. We briefly discuss the hardware and techniques used in both our pulsed and cw RIMS experiments. Results are presented for both cw ionization experiments on Lu/Yb mixtures, and spectroscopic studies of multicolor RIMS of Tc. Lastly, we discuss practical limits of cw RIMS analysis in terms of detection limits and measurable isotope ratios.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5811321
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-83-2319; CONF-8308114-1; ON: DE83017303
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640301* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Beams & their Reactions
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAMS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ION BEAMS
IONIZATION
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPES
LASER RADIATION
LUTETIUM ISOTOPES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
RADIATIONS
RARE EARTH ISOTOPES
RESOLUTION
RESONANCE
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPECTROSCOPY
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES