Allied Corporation

Sam A Tuccio

Donald F Heller

Willis B Hammond

Jacob Bigeleisen

Efficient multiphoton excitation is accomplished by sequentially exciting a polyatomic molecule with one or more wavelengths of infrared laser radiation. Preferably, the delay between successive excitations is longer than the rotational but shorter than the vibrational relaxation time of the molecule. By this method, laser-induced chemical reactions or isotope separation can be achieved with lower fluence and/or higher concentration of molecules than with prior art methods.

Sequential multiphoton excitation method

The concentration of deuterium relative to hydrogen in a hydrofluorocarbon is increased by contacting the hydrofluorocarbon, in the presence of an alkali metal amide, with an amine having a concentration of deuterium that is greater than that which provides equilibrium with the hydrofluorocarbon. In a preferred embodiment, a compound enriched in deuterium is produced by first exposing trifluoromethane to infrared laser radiation to selectively cause a chemical reaction involving deuterium-containing molecules. The deuterium-depleted trifluoromethane is deuterium replenished by exchange with an amine, and the compound enriched in deuterium is converted to heavy water. Heavy water is useful in certain types of nuclear reactors.

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Morris Plains, NJ, United States of America

Sam A Tuccio