Laser separation of carbon isotopes by high-power IR radiation

A review of the results obtained during the development of an industrial technology for laser separation of carbon isotopes using multiphoton dissociation of molecules by pulsed CO₂ laser radiation is presented. The key scientific and technical solutions that make it possible to create such a technology are presented. The world's first industrial facility for the production of enriched carbon isotope ¹³C is described. The possibility of devising a purely laser two-stage process for obtaining a highly enriched (over 99%) ¹³C isotope is considered.