Isotope separation by selective-two step photoionization

Abstract

One of the laser isotope separation schemes utilizes selective two step photoionization technique, which can be termed as the physical -atomic laser isotope separation process. In the two step photoionization scheme, pre-designated atoms, e.g. 235U, are excited and ionized selectively, and guided to and collected by electrodes. The initial process, the selective ionization process, is determined by various rate equations and can be characterized by the selectivity, the separation factor and the quantum efficiency. However the final value of the separation factor is determined by physical parameters in the separation process, the final process. In this thesis, the various physical processes in connection with the two-step photoionization scheme are examined in detail and parametric variations of the major variables have been computed. Based on the parametric study, we have proposed a preliminary conceptual design for a $^{235}U$ isotope separator, which utilizes tunable lasers and differentially-pumped magnetic separator.