Applications of lasers to chemical problems

Several applications of lasers to the solution of chemical problems are discussed. The application of photochemical recoil scattering of a molecular beam to isotope separation is considered, and its theoretical superiority to other isotope separation methods discussed. Failure of an experimental attempt to separate the bromine isotopes by this method is interpreted in terms of an inherently low rate of collisionless predissociation in bromine. The photochemistry of hydrogen bromide/deuterium bromide mixtures exposed to 2537A light was investigated. Results of experiments in which various mixtures of the bromides were irradiated, then assayed for H2, HD and D2 are interpreted in terms of several kinetic models. Agreement between experimental results and predictions made on the basis of phase space trajectory calculations is satisfactory. Unlike previous experiments designed to check these calculations, no major theoretical assumptions are required.