Accelerated alpha decay under laser exposure of metallic nanoparticles in aqueous solutions of uranium salt

The recent experimental results on the acceleration of alpha decay under laser exposure of metallic nanoparticles in aqueous solutions (D₂O or H₂O) of uranium salt UO₂Cl₂ are reviewed. It is demonstrated that the rate of the alpha decay of uranium branching depends on the laser wavelength and laser peak power both under exposure of the solution of uranium salt in colloidal solutions of metallic nanoparticles and under laser ablation of a bulk target in an aqueous solution. Tuning the laser wavelength to the plasmon resonance allows observation of large deviations of the contents of radio-nuclides of ²³⁸U branching from their equilibrium values. The effect of laser exposure is characterized by high isotopic selectivity towards the decay of different nuclides. Possible mechanisms of the laser-induced alpha decay of uranium isotopes and their potential applications are discussed.