MULTISTAGE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SUBSTANCES OF DIFFERENT ATOMIC WEIGHTS USING A PLASMA CENTRIFUGE

摘要

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for centrifugally separating substances of different atomic weights. The substances to be separated are positioned in an evacuated vessel which has a longitudinal axis. A magnetic field is generated in the vessel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel and a target comprises of the substances to be separated is positioned within the vessel at one end thereof. A collector is positioned at the other end of the vessel. Pulsed laser energy is focused on the substances to be separated, thereby fully ionizing at least a portion of the substances and forming a plasma therefrom. Immediately following the focusing of the laser energy, a current is passed through the substances to be separated which causes further full ionization of the substances and thereby the formation of additional plasma. The ionized plasma is rotated and moved from the substances which are to be separated to a collector by the application of the magnetic field. At least a portion of the ionized substances are separated by the centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of the plasma by the magnetic field. At least one skimmer means is positioned in the vessel in the path of a portion of the ionized plasma such that the portion of the ionized plasma strikes the skimmer means and is collected thereon. The remainder of the ionized plasma continues moving along the vessel towards the collector.