Method of photochemical separation of isotopes

Claim 1

In a method of photochemical separation of isotopes, wherein molecules containing differing isotopes of an element are selectively excited by laser radiation of a predetermined wavelength corresponding to an absorption band in the visible or ultraviolet range, the wavelength being chosen to lift molecules containing a given isotope into an electronically excited state and to leave similar molecules containing a different isotope relativey unexcited, and the excited molecules are rendered isolatable by means of chemical reaction with a scavenger, the improvement that the selectively excited molecules are brought into reaction with a coreactant which is selected, under the prevailing conditions, firstly to react collectively in a simple additive reaction and substantially no other reaction with the excited molecules effectively to produce a single stable non-dissociating addition product and secondly to react collectively to a minimum extent with the relatively unexcited molecules.

Claim 5

A method of photochemical separation of isotopes, according to which halogen containing molecules containing differing isotopes of a halogen element are selectively excited by laser radiation of a predetermined wavelength corresponding to an absorption band in the visible or ultraviolet range, the wavelength being chosen to lift halogen molecules containing a given isotope into an electronically excited state and to leave similar molecules containing a different isotope relatively unexcited; the selectively excited halogen molecules are brought into reaction with a scavenger constituted by an unsaturated carbon compound selected, under the prevailing conditions, firstly to react collectively in a simple additive reaction with the excited molecules to produce a stable non-dissociating halogenated carbon addition compound containing the isotope to be isolated and secondly to react collectivey to a minimum extent with the relatively unexcited molecules; and finally the halogenated carbon addition compound is isolated from the other reaction products.

Claim 6

A method of photochemical separation of isotopes, according to which halogen containing molecules containing differing isotopes of a halogen element are selectively excited by laser radiation of a predetermined wavelength corresponding to an absorption band in the visible or ultraviolet range, the wavelength being chosen to lift halogen molecules containing a given isotope into an electronically excited state and to leave similar molecules containing a different isotope relatively unexcited; the selectively excited halogen molecules are brought into reaction with a scavenger constituted by an unsaturated carbon compound selected, under the prevailing conditions, firstly to react collectively in a simple additive reaction with the excited molecules to produce a stable non-dissociating halogenated carbon addition compound containing the isotope to be isolated and secondly to react collectivey to a minimum extent with the relatively unexcited molecules; and finally the halogenated carbon addition compound is isolated from the other reaction products.