It is shown that the efficiency of classical gas-dynamic isotope separation can be strongly improved with the aid of a relatively weak cw infrared laser. Irradiation in the collisional region of a free jet of SF₆ diluted in argon with a 20-W CO₂ laser leads to an increase in the overall enrichment factor α from about 1.01 to nearly 2, at conditions that have not yet been completely optimized. Efficient isotopically selective condensation is demonstrated for the first time, the inhibition of homogeneous condensation being due to the selective vibrational excitation of one SF₆ isotopomer.
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Zellweger et al. (1984) studied this question.
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