Process for separating an isotope from a mixture of different isotopes

Abstract

A process is, herein, disclosed for separating a particular isotope from a mixture of different isotopes by selective excitation and ionization of the particular isotope with a single laser beam, said process comprising heating the mixture, converting the resulting atomic vapor to a highly directional atomic beam by suitable means, causing said atomic beam to travel through a vacuum, crossing the atomic beam with a high-intensity laser beam having a specific wavelength, selectively exciting the particular isotope with a first photon having that specific wavelength while the other isotopes remaining in the ground state, allowing the excited isotope to absorb a second photon to be excited to a virtual energy level, causing the so excited isotope to absorb a third photon to ionize said isotope, and recovering the ionized isotope by use of an electric or electromagnetic field.