Lithium isotope separation with tunable diode lasers.
A laser-isotope-separation study of lithium has been performed with two-step excitation involving UV laser radiation and a visible tunable-diode laser. The method yields a high degree of selectivity by tuning the narrow-linewidth diode laser to the D1 or D2 levels of the lithium atom. Selective laser excitation is simplified by the use of the tunable diode laser and the overall approach benefits from the application of a compact mass selector that includes a precision magnetic sector and an ion beam that is designed specifically for light atoms such as lithium.