Experimental apparatus for measuring cross sections of importance to nuclear pumping

Recent success in pumping a CO vibrational-rotational transition laser by fission products has raised questions concerning the excitation mechanisms. There appear to be at least three possible processes. First, the energetic fission fragments may produce vibrational-rotational excitation directly in collisions. Second, they may produce electrons by ionization, and these electrons may then produce excitation. The third process is similar to the second, with the fission products producing energetic recoil ions, which then collisionally excite the CO. Some indirect arguments are put forth that the first and third processes combined are indeed quite significant, although the second undoubtedly is the most important.