| 摘要 |
A method of irradiating a collection of particles by ultrashort pulses of light with isotopic selectivity having application in various methods of isotope separation (two step photoionization, photochemical separation or radiation pressure). In particular there is disclosed a method and apparatus for the efficient acceleration and collection of particles by means of radiation pressure, exemplified by separating a preselected isotope species from a gaseous mixture of isotopes. The gaseous mixture is irradiated with ultrashort, repetitious pulses of coherent light, each pulse having an intensity, frequency and duration selected to create momentum changes in the preselected gaseous isotope whereby to spatially isolate the isotope. Preferably, irradiation is carried out in the cavity of a mode-locked laser into which the gaseous mixture is injected. The pulses traverse and reflect back through the cavity so that the selected isotope is initially excited by a pulse, then restitutes its energy to the reflected pulse by stimulated emission. Means are provided for collecting the spatially isolated isotope.
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