Publication

Infrared vibrational predissociation of van der Waals clusters: applications to isotope separation

Hubert van den Bergh
1984
Journal Articles

Abstract

Isotope sepn. was demonstrated following the selective IR laser-induced photodissocn. of van der Waals clusters in a free jet. Irradn. of a natural abundance mixt. of SF6 isotopomers dild. in Ar with a 20-W cw CO2 laser gave overall enrichment factors >1.1. By adjusting the wavelength one can either enrich or deplete the center of the free jet in any one of the S isotopes.

Official source

Graph Chat

Chat with Graph Search

Ask any question about EPFL courses, lectures, exercises, research, news, etc. or try the example questions below.

DISCLAIMER: The Graph Chatbot is not programmed to provide explicit or categorical answers to your questions. Rather, it transforms your questions into API requests that are distributed across the various IT services officially administered by EPFL. Its purpose is solely to collect and recommend relevant references to content that you can explore to help you answer your questions.

Hubert van den Bergh
1984
Journal Articles

Abstract

Official source

Related concepts (6)

Isotope separation

Isotope separation is the process of concentrating specific isotopes of a chemical element by removing other isotopes. The use of the nuclides produced is varied. The largest variety is used in research (e.g. in chemistry where atoms of "marker" nuclide are used to figure out reaction mechanisms). By tonnage, separating natural uranium into enriched uranium and depleted uranium is the largest application. In the following text, mainly uranium enrichment is considered.

Enriched uranium

Enriched uranium is a type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 (written 235U) has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Naturally occurring uranium is composed of three major isotopes: uranium-238 (238U with 99.2739–99.2752% natural abundance), uranium-235 (235U, 0.7198–0.7202%), and uranium-234 (234U, 0.0050–0.0059%). 235U is the only nuclide existing in nature (in any appreciable amount) that is fissile with thermal neutrons.

Atomic vapor laser isotope separation

Atomic vapor laser isotope separation, or AVLIS, is a method by which specially tuned lasers are used to separate isotopes of uranium using selective ionization of hyperfine transitions. A similar technology, using molecules instead of atoms, is molecular laser isotope separation (MLIS). Natural uranium consists of a large mass of 238U and a much smaller mass of fissile 235U. Traditionally, the 235U is separated from the mass by dissolving it in acid to produce uranium hexafluoride and then using gas centrifuges to separate the isotopes.

Related publications (1)

Infrared vibrational predissociation of van der Waals clusters: applications to isotope separation

Chat with Graph Search

Collisionally enhanced isotopic selectivity in multiphoton dissociation of vibrationally excited CF3H