Efficient two-stage laser enrichment up to 99% of carbon-13 isotope by IR multiphoton dissociation of Freon molecules

A new method for two-stage laser enrichment of carbon-13 (¹³C) by isotope-selective IR multiphoton dissociation of Freon molecules is considered, which makes it possible to achieve a concentration of ¹³C up to 99% or higher with high productivity. At the first stage, as a result of the selective dissociation of CF₂HCl (Freon-22) molecules, it is expected to obtain a C₂F₄ dissociation product enriched in ¹³C up to 30 % – 50%. At the second stage, CF₂Br₂ (Freon-12B2) is proposed to be used as a working substance, which is synthesised from enriched C₂F₄, and the enrichment process is carried out by selective deep 'burning-out' of the ¹²C-containing component. Experiments on multiphoton dissociation of Freon-12B2 with an initial ¹³CF₂Br₂ concentration of 30% in a mixture with oxygen by pulsed CO₂ laser radiation are performed. It is shown that reaching a ¹³CF₂Br₂ concentration of no lower than 99% is possible at high values of the elementary separation act parameters: 15% – 18% dissociation yield and 40 – 75 selectivity for ¹²CF₂Br₂ molecules.