Isotope enrichment by laser activation wherein a multi-isotopic element Q, like Uranium, Silicon, Carbon is incorporated into gaseous QF.sub.n, QF.sub.6, QF.sub.4, QO.sub.mF.sub.n, etc and diluted in gas G like He, N.sub.2, Ar, Xe, SF.sub.6 or other inert gas; and wherein that mixture is cooled by adiabatic expansion or other means encouraging formation of dimers QF.sub.6:G in a supersonic super-cooled free jet; and wherein that jet is exposed to laser photons at wavelengths that selectively excite predetermined molecules .sup.iQF.sub.6 to .sup.iQF.sub.6*, thereby inducing rapid VT conversions and dissociations of .sup.iQF.sub.6*:G.fwdarw..sup.iQF.sub.6+G+kT, while leaving non-excited dimers .sup.jQF.sub.6:G intact; and wherein a skimmer separates the supersonic free-jet core stream containing heavier .sup.jQF.sub.6:G dimers from lighter core-escaped .sup.iQF.sub.6-enriched rim gases. Particularly an advanced technique is disclosed to enrich .sup.iUF.sub.6 by free jet expansion and isotope-selective dimerization suppression, utilizing a molecular CO laser and intra-cavity UF.sub.6 irradiation with laser lines overlapping predetermined .sup.iUF.sub.6 absorptions; and providing multiple free jet separator units irradiated by one laser beam, thereby enhancing process economics.

First and second laser beams having respective first and second wavelengths respectively excite palladium isotopes at a ground level to a first excited level then to a second excited level. At first and second excitation steps, palladium isotopes having an odd mass number are selectively excited to the second excited level, with the identity of the ion core state of each of the palladium isotopes retained between the first excited level and the second excited level. The first wavelength and the second wavelength are selected to allow the second excited level to be an autoionization level or, in a case where the second excited level is not the autoionization level, the first wavelength, the second wavelength, and a third wavelength are selected to excite the palladium isotopes at the second excited level to the autoionization level with a third laser beam having the third wavelength at a third excitation step.

First and second laser beams having respective first and second wavelengths respectively excite palladium isotopes at a ground level to a first excited level then to a second excited level. At first and second excitation steps, palladium isotopes having an odd mass number are selectively excited to the second excited level, with the identity of the ion core state of each of the palladium isotopes retained between the first excited level and the second excited level. The first wavelength and the second wavelength are selected to allow the second excited level to be an autoionization level or, in a case where the second excited level is not the autoionization level, the first wavelength, the second wavelength, and a third wavelength are selected to excite the palladium isotopes at the second excited level to the autoionization level with a third laser beam having the third wavelength at a third excitation step.

Methods for enriching, separating, or enriching and separating isotopes and isotopologues, as well as other chemical species, contained in a supersonic beam are provided. In the methods, a supersonic beam having different isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species entrained therein and a beam comprising a matrix material converge on a surface. As the matrix material forms a solid matrix on the surface, heavier isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species become preferentially embedded in the matrix, while lighter isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species are preferentially scattered from the surface.

Methods for enriching, separating, or enriching and separating isotopes and isotopologues, as well as other chemical species, contained in a supersonic beam are provided. In the methods, a supersonic beam having different isotopes, isotopologues, or other chemical species entrained therein and a beam comprising a matrix material converge on a surface. As the matrix material forms a solid matrix on the surface, heavier isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species become preferentially embedded in the matrix, while lighter isotopes, isotopologues, and/or other chemical species are preferentially scattered from the surface.

Provided are apparatus and methods for enriching and separating isotopologues or isotopes. The apparatus and methods enrich and/or separate isotopes or isotopologues present in a substantially monovelocity supersonic beam incident upon a solid surface comprising condensed forms of the isotopologues or the isotopes via the differential condensation of the different isotopologues or isotopes on the surface or the differential reflection of the different isotopologues or isotopes from the surface.

Provided are apparatus and methods for enriching and separating isotopologues or isotopes. The apparatus and methods enrich and/or separate isotopes or isotopologues present in a substantially monovelocity supersonic beam incident upon a solid surface comprising condensed forms of the isotopologues or the isotopes via the differential condensation of the different isotopologues or isotopes on the surface or the differential reflection of the different isotopologues or isotopes from the surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen isotope concentration method and an oxygen isotope concentration apparatus that can safely and stably supply ozone without increasing the size of the device. The present invention provides an oxygen concentration method including: a photoreaction step of irradiating a first mixed fluid (F1) in which oxygen and a diluent substance (DS) are mixed with a laser, selectively decomposing ozone containing an oxygen isotope, and generating oxygen containing an oxygen isotope, and obtaining a second mixed fluid (F2) in which the oxygen, the ozone, and the diluent substance (DS) are mixed; a liquid storage section introduction step of introducing the second mixed fluid (F2) into a liquid storage section (10) and liquefying it; and a separation step of introducing the second mixed fluid (F2) with hydraulic head obtained by liquefying the second mixed fluid (F2) and storing it in the liquid storage section (10), into a separation column (21), distilling the second mixed fluid (F2) which has liquefied, and separating into a third mixed fluid (F3) in which ozone and the diluent substance (DS) are mixed, and product oxygen (PO) in which oxygen isotope heavy components are concentrated; wherein the liquid storage section (10) can store the liquefied second mixed fluid (F2) without being affected by heat input.

An object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen isotope concentration method and an oxygen isotope concentration apparatus that can safely and stably supply ozone without increasing the size of the device. The present invention provides an oxygen concentration method including: a photoreaction step of irradiating a first mixed fluid (F1) in which oxygen and a diluent substance (DS) are mixed with a laser, selectively decomposing ozone containing an oxygen isotope, and generating oxygen containing an oxygen isotope, and obtaining a second mixed fluid (F2) in which the oxygen, the ozone, and the diluent substance (DS) are mixed; a liquid storage section introduction step of introducing the second mixed fluid (F2) into a liquid storage section (10) and liquefying it; and a separation step of introducing the second mixed fluid (F2) with hydraulic head obtained by liquefying the second mixed fluid (F2) and storing it in the liquid storage section (10), into a separation column (21), distilling the second mixed fluid (F2) which has liquefied, and separating into a third mixed fluid (F3) in which ozone and the diluent substance (DS) are mixed, and product oxygen (PO) in which oxygen isotope heavy components are concentrated; wherein the liquid storage section (10) can store the liquefied second mixed fluid (F2) without being affected by heat input.

The discovery of a method and the invention of a system for obtaining very high selectivityand dissociation of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope in the Molecular Laser Isotope Separation (MLIS) process of the Uranium Hexafluoride (UF.sub.6) isotopes, in a single highly selective step, is described. The principle of the process and the concept of the invention are very simple: At temperatures below 100 K., and. preferably in the region of 60 K, nearly all the molecules of the expansion supercooled UE.sub.6 gas are in the ground state enabling the principles of the invention to be practically applied without-any interference from other inherent, processes. Then the frequency of the selecting laser must be at 628.527 cm.sup.1, or very close to it, for a three-photon absorption resonance with the [m(A.sub.2):(3V.sub.3)] sublevel of the third energy excitation state of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope. The fixing of the frequency of the selecting laser is the first basic step of the invention. The second basic step is to increase the pumping intensity of the selecting laser to a. level at which thethree-photon absorption resonance with the [m(A.sub.2):(3V.sub.3)]sublevel, of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope is established, elevating the molecules of the desired isotope .sup.235UF.sub.6 to the third energy excitation state. This is achieved through the power broadening at the fundamental and the second energy excitation level as the pumping intensity of the selecting laser is increased and as a consequence of the proximity of these levels to the pumping frequency. There is an intensity range for the selecting laser within which the molecules of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope can be selectively elevated to the third energy level through the establishment of a three-photon absorption resonance without disturbing the molecules of the unwanted, isotope .sup.238UF.sub.6, leaving them unexcited. The selectively excited molecules of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope are then driven to dissociation through, the higher vibrational levels of the v.sub.3-vibrational mode and. the quasicontinuum of energy states, by a simultaneously applied dissociating laser whose exact intensity and optimum frequency can again be experimentally determined, or by any other dissociation or separation-process following the original excitation of the .sup.235UF.sub.6 molecules to the third energy excitation state (3v.sub.3) through three-photon resonance with the [m(A.sub.2):(3V.sub.3)] sublevel. The process is unique in that it can be applied, to the treatment and separation of the desired .sup.235UF.sub.6 isotope from the Tails percentages of any isotope separation proce