Photophysical and photochemical properties of gaseous UF6

Results of recent photophysical and photochemical investigations of the UF6 molecule, which is ideal for such uranium isotope separation processes in the gas phase as laser isotope separation, are reported. Attention is given the rotovibrational transition structure of the UF6 molecule and the laser isotope separation schemes that have been proposed, along with the structure of the UF6 electronic absorption spectrum in light of both theoretical calculations of electronic states and tentative electronic transition assignments. In addition, a critical review of UF6 excited electronic state fluorescence properties shows that fluorescence decay time measurements are a useful tool for the study of excited electronic state structure and dynamics.