2. RF放電プラズマを用いた同位体分離 : プラズマを利用した同位体分離  [in Japanese] 2. Isotope Separation in an RF Discharge Plasma : Isotope Separation in Plasma  [in Japanese]

The separation of the isotopes of xenon, krypton, and neon in RF discharges with a traveling magnetic wave, as well as mixtures of various kinds of rare gas, are reviewed. The parameter values for the experiments included an initial working gas pressure of 10^<-3>-2.5 Torr, a discharge-chamber diameter of 6.5-8cm, a discharge-region length of 0.85-1.2m, and a power dissipation in the plasma of up to 15kW. The enrichment coefficient reported is 3.4-4.0% for the isotopic mixtures per unit mass difference of the isotopes. It is theorized that the separation mechanisms are a result of two factors: a difference in the longitudinal forces in collisions of ions onto neutral species each isotope, and a difference in the degree of ionization of the isotopes.