AbstractA new photoionization scheme accessible by Rhodamine dye lasers is proposed for the isotope separation of 176Lu.$$5d6s^{2}\,{^{2}D_{{3/2}}} (0.0\, {\text{cm}}^{{ - 1}} )\mathop{\longrightarrow}\limits^{{573.8130\, {\text{nm}}}}5d6s6p\,{^{4}F_{{3/2}}^{o}} \left( {17427.28\, {\text{cm}}^{{ - 1}} } \right)\mathop{\longrightarrow}\limits^{{560.3114\, {\text{nm}}}}$$
5
d
6
s
2
2
D
3
/
2
(
0.0
cm
-
1
)
⟶
573.8130
nm
5
d
6
s
6
p
4
F
3
/
2
o
17427.28
cm
-
1
⟶
560.3114
nm
$$6s{6p}^{2}\,{^{4}{P}_{5/2}}\left(35274.5 \,{\text{cm}}^{-1}\right){\to } Autoionization\, State {\to }{Lu}^{+}$$
6
s
6
p
2
4
P
5
/
2
35274.5
cm
-
1
→
A
u
t
o
i
o
n
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
S
t
a
t
e
→
Lu
+
Optimum conditions for the laser isotope separation have been theoretically computed and compared with the previously reported work. The enrichment of ~ 63% can be obtained with > 22 mg/h production rate even when broadband lasers with bandwidth of 500 MHz are employed for the two step excitation. The simplified system requirements for the photoionization scheme combined with a high production rate of 176Lu than previously reported is expected to reduce the global shortage of 176Lu isotope for medical applications.
Isotope separation of 176Lu a precursor to 177Lu medical isotope using broadband lasers