Device and method for separating oxygen isotopes

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:864923

Rockwood, Stephen D ^[1]; Sander, Robert K ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A device and method for separating oxygen isotopes with an ArF laser which produces coherent radiation at approximately 193 nm. The output of the ArF laser is filtered in natural air and applied to an irradiation cell where it preferentially photodissociates molecules of oxygen gas containing .sup.17 O or .sup.18 O oxygen nuclides. A scavenger such as O.sub.2, CO or ethylene is used to collect the preferentially dissociated oxygen atoms and recycled to produce isotopically enriched molecular oxygen gas. Other embodiments utilize an ArF laser which is narrowly tuned with a prism or diffraction grating to preferentially photodissociate desired isotopes. Similarly, desired mixtures of isotopic gas can be used as a filter to photodissociate enriched preselected isotopes of oxygen.

• 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 4437958
• OSTI ID: 864923
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

device
method
separating
oxygen
isotopes
arf
laser
produces
coherent
radiation
approximately
193
nm
output
filtered
natural
air
applied
irradiation
cell
preferentially
photodissociates
molecules
gas
containing
17
18
nuclides
scavenger
ethylene
collect
dissociated
atoms
recycled
produce
isotopically
enriched
molecular
embodiments
utilize
narrowly
tuned
prism
diffraction
grating
photodissociate
desired
similarly
mixtures
isotopic
filter
preselected
isotopically enriched
oxygen gas
coherent radiation
desired isotope
gas containing
diffraction grating
oxygen atoms
molecular oxygen
separating oxygen
oxygen isotopes
arf laser
selected isotope
oxygen atom
isotopic gas
/204/422/