ANALYSIS OF LASER-BEAM PROPAGATION EFFECTS IN ATOMIC LASER ISOTOPE-SEPARATION

In the atomic laser isotope separation process, the laser beams propag ate through the atomic vapor over a long distance. It has been shown t hat the laser-atom interactions significantly modify the laser pulse s hape and propagation velocity, resulting in degradation of the isotope separation efficiency. These propagation effects have been analyzed q uantitatively, and a simple scaling formula has been derived to estima te the necessary laser energy for such optically thick atomic vapor. T he optimum conditions of incident laser pulse have also been discussed .