Laser separation of oxygen isotopes by infrared multiphoton dissociation of CF3CH2OH

A study was made of isotopically selective multiphoton dissociation of 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (CF₃CH₂OH) by radiation from a pulsed TEA CO₂ laser. Enrichment of the dissociation product CO with ¹⁸O was observed. The maximum selectivity a ≈ 7.2 ± 1.5 and the dissociation yield of the target product (CF₃CH₂¹⁸OH) β₁₈≈5% were obtained when the laser radiation frequency was ω_las = 1029.44 cm ^– 1 and the energy density was Φ ≈ 1.8 J/cm². The degree of conversion of oxygen atoms from CF₃CH₂OH to CO was 50% for Φ = 1.8 J/cm² and u ~ 90% for Φ = 2.0 J/cm². The multiphoton absorption coefficients and the energy absorbed, on the average, by one 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol molecule were determined. Estimates were obtained of the energy needed to separate one ¹⁸O atom, which was ~ 12 keV.