Isotope selective laser enhancement of the Li + H(2) reaction.

The enhancement of the Li + H(2) -> LiH reaction due to laser excitation of the Li atom to the 2p state has been investigated using absorption techniques. Using a rate equation model we obtain from our data a reaction cross-section sigma[Li(2p) + H(2) -> LiH + H] = (0.10+-0.03) angstrom(2) at 515C. By selectively exciting one Li isotope the reaction is made isotope selective, suggesting an efficient means of isotope separation.