Outline of a Laser Isotope Separation Scheme

It is convenient to divide ordinary LIS schemes into five parts. (1) Preliminary exchange of the working molecule with bulk feed. Usually it will not be possible to 

S is the selectivity of photon absorption under the particular experimental conditions, and 8 is the relative abundance of the desired isotope. Equation 8.19 shows, for example, that S values on the order of 103 are required before more than about 10% of photons are used to excite D in natural abundance H/D mixtures (8 1.5 x 10-4). The selectivity required for uranium separation is less because 8(D). 

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