It is about 10 years since new methods of isotope separation by means of laser radiation were first proposed. In the past five years a lot of effort has been put into elaborating and realising these techniques. Now we are at the threshold of demonstrating the first pilot set-ups of laser isotope separation (LIS). In this review I will try to outline the basic ideas, methods and key experiments.

Laser Isotope Separation

1 – Laser Isotope Separation

Separation of the H, C, and O isotopes was achieved by the excitation of glyoxal (H2C2O2) vapor with the radiation emitted from a pulse laser whose resonator contained an absorption cell filled with an H2C2O2 dye.

S A Maksimov

Papers

Method for the selective excitation of molecules by the radiation emitted from a laser with an absorption cell in its resonator