On-line computer controlled cw dye laser spectrometer for laser isotope separation

An on-line cw dye laser multichannel spectrometer is described, which can be controlled by FORTRAN. Automatic tuning of a dye laser to the wavelength of maximum excitation selectivity for photochemical isotope separation is achieved. Applying the system to the selective photoaddition of iodine chloride ICl to acetylene, an enrichment factor of³⁷Cl in the photoproduct C₂H₂ICl of β=100±5 was obtained. Both stable chlorine isotopes can be enriched to more than 97% purity in a single step, starting from natural samples in both cases.