Photochemical isotope separation

Patent · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866235

Robinson, C Paul ^[1]; Jensen, Reed J ^[1]; Cotter, Theodore P ^[1]; Greiner, Norman R ^[1]; Boyer, Keith ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A process for separating isotopes by selective excitation of isotopic species of a volatile compound by tuned laser light. A highly cooled gas of the volatile compound is produced in which the isotopic shift is sharpened and defined. Before substantial condensation occurs, the cooled gas is irradiated with laser light precisely tuned to a desired wavelength to selectively excite a particular isotopic species in the cooled gas. The laser light may impart sufficient energy to the excited species to cause it to undergo photochemical reaction or even to photoionize. Alternatively, a two-photon irradiation may be applied to the cooled gas to induce photochemical reaction or photoionization. The process is particularly applicable to the separation of isotopes of uranium and plutonium.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4661221
• OSTI ID: 866235
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/423/
alternatively
applicable
applied
chemical reaction
compound
condensation
condensation occurs
cooled
cooled gas
defined
desired
desired wave
desired wavelength
energy
excitation
excite
excited
excited species
gas
highly
highly cooled
impart
impart sufficient
induce
irradiated
irradiation
isotope
isotope separation
isotopes
isotopic
isotopic shift
isotopic species
laser
laser light
light
light precisely
occurs
particular
particular isotopic
particularly
particularly applicable
photochemical
photochemical isotope
photochemical reaction
photoionization
photoionize
plutonium
precisely
precisely tuned
process
produced
reaction
selective
selective excitation
selectively
selectively excite
separating
separating isotopes
separation
sharpened
shift
species
substantial
substantial condensation
sufficient
sufficient energy
tuned
tuned laser
two-photon
two-photon irradiation
undergo
uranium
volatile
volatile compound
wavelength