ON THE DERACEMIZATION OF A CHIRAL MOLECULAR-BEAM BY INTERACTION WITH CIRCULARLY-POLARIZED LIGHT

A strong electromagnetic field exerts a force on neutral atoms or mole cules and this effect has been utilized in atomic beam optics to creat e the analogs to optical elements such as lenses and mirrors. We exten d this concept to the specific interaction of a chiral molecule with a circularly polarized laser wave. Because of the optical activity of c hiral molecules this interaction is selective with respect to handedne ss and this selectivity forms the basis for a ''chiral mirror'' scheme , here introduced, to produce chirally pure matter.