New Japanese AVLIS Program

N. Monoka

Laser Atomic Separation Engineering Research Association of Japan (Laser-J)

2-76, Aza Shirane, Oaza Shirakata, Tokaimura, Nakagun, Ibaraki, Japan

ABSTRACT

The historical descriptions on developing AVLIS laser systems for the last six years in Japan are given, and such items
as some development issues, operational expenences and those further to be developed in the next step of R and D program
are bnefly explained.
Laser-J completed its first term of R and D program at the end of June, 1992 and received a check and review procedure
by its sponsors and Japanese AEC on its consequences. Laser-J has got a GO' signal to implement the next step of develop-
ing full scale of AVLIS hardwares, the outcome of which will be subjected to another check and review to be made by them.
If Laser-J could clear the process, it would go to the the last step of building a set of Demo Facility and making Enrich-
ing Demonstration Test thereof. The total span will amount to 10 years.

1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF COPPER VAPOR LASER

The first term or step of R and D of laser systems concentrated itself on increasing power outputs of Copper Vapor Laser
(CVL) and consequently Dye Laser (DL) as quickly as possible. We therefore postponed studying some of more advanced
topics. I will summarize here how we have been developing a CVL system.

1.1 CVL DEVELOPMENT

CVL is usually operated in a chain which consists of an oscillator and some amplifiers (MOPA). To make the story
simpler, 1 will mainly explain the historical development of CVL unit. Fig. 1 shows how the unit power output level grew
up in time where I attached LLNLs corresponding record up to 1990, just for reference.
I classify our CVLs into the first and second generation, the first generation of which were developed from 1987 to 1989
and brought to the Tokai Test Facility to be re-used. I will later describe their operational data collected in 1991 and 1992.
(Fig.2)
Our contractors voluntanlv exerted their efforts further to increase CVL power output by enlarging the ceramic tube dia-
meter from 6 cm of the first generation to 8 cm of the second generation. As shown in Fig. 1 ,they attainted the maximum
unit power output of 430 W (average 415 W plus minus 3% for 3 hours) on 10/22/92.
From our economical evaluation and optimization on 1500 TSWU/yr AVLIS plant, it would be sufficient for us to pro-
duce about 500 W of CVL unit power output. Therefore, there seems to be no serious problem for us to produce a commer-
cial scale of CVL MOPA in terms of power output level.

1.2 HIGH FREQUENCY SWITCHING DEVICE

The thyratron is usually used for a high frequency switching device for CVL which is not a continuous wave but pulsed
laser. In the earlier days of R and D, we thought that the thyratron's lifetime was rather short for its usage. One of contrac-
tors did chaillenge this problem and developed a semi-conductor type of switch which constitutes multiple MOS-FET transis-
tors. They manufactured a few switches which were actually housed in the enclosures of CVL at Tokai Test Facility. (Fig.3)
During a series of irradiation tests, the' worked at a high level of reliability with less jittering and their lifetime is clearly
beyond the accumulated operational hours so far achieved. (Fig.4)

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 However, the thvratron is also fairly improved on its performance, especially with an assoicated electrical circuit which
has magnetic assisting and compressing elements. Therefore, we must carefully compare both types economically for their
final selection. The semi-conductor type would exceed the thyratron in engineering performances as a high frequency switch
but might be more expensive in its manufacturing cost. (dependent on the mass production scale)

1.3 FEEDING COPPER PARTICLES INTO CERAMIC TUBE BORE

As a weak point of metallic vapor laser, copper particles must be fed from time to time into the ceramic tube bore of
CVL. We can maintain the normal copper vapor pressure longer to some extent, if we
( 1) suppress the buffer gas flow rate as low as possible
(2) load copper particles as many as possible
(3) take the aspect ratio ( diameter I length of the ceramic tube) as small as possible
(4) install the "wick" inside the tube
Our expenences on the copper consumption rate are shown in Fig. 5.

We have developed a sort of wick which was tested for its effectiveness with a small CVL. We will possibly improve it
further in the future. Whether we adopt for the wick or not will again depend upon the result of economical assessment on
what would be the influence of the cost of continuously operating CVL MOPAs (including spares) with or without the wick
on the enriching cost. Anyhow, we will aim at developing the simpler and cheaper version of CVL MOPA in the next step
of R and D program.

2. DEVELOPMENT ON DL SYSTEM

The DL MOPA power output will increase if pumping CVL MOPA power output increases. I think the supports for
glass made DL cells should be carefully designed for seismic attacks in Japan. We delayed studying such advanced topics as
the DL beam quality and its degradation due to a long distance of DL beam propagation through the uranium vapor streams.
Here, I rather address myself to these scientific problems related.

2.1 MATCHING DL FREQUENCY CHARACTERISTICS WITH HYPERFINE STRUCTURE OF

U235 ABSORPTION SPECTRA

DL is suitable for tuning its output freqeuncy with a particular transition or step from an energy level to another of an
atom. Such an atom as U238 (even mass number) has a single absorption line at a particular frequency with degenerate mag-
netic sublevels, for which U235 (odd mass number) has multiple absorption lines with a range of a few GHz spread around
that frequency due to its intrinsic nuclear spin. (Hyperfine structure of absorption spectra)
Therefore, in case of exciting U235 atom from an energy level to another, the band of a DLs frequency is too narrow to
match such widely spread absorption lines. ( How to let U235 atom absorb the energy of sharply tuned light effectively

We gave it a try on a few candidates of DL matching method in vain. There seems to be two outstanding candidates:
( 1) static DL matching, that is, let DL output a beam with multiple frequency or axial modes, for example, 10 modes,
the band of whose frequencies as a whole will cover the range of a hyperfine structure for a particular transition
(2) dynamic DL matching, that is, let DL output a beam with a single frequency mode whose frequency will quickly be
chirped or swept over the range of the hyperfine structure within its beam pulse duration of 4O ns or so (Fig. 6)

We have developed a comprehensive quantum mechanical code for the light-atom interaction which cancompute the ion-
ization rate for a separation scheme (a combination of transitions) with such input as absorption cross section, magnectic sub-
levels specification, laser intensity, laser polarization, chirping and so on.
With this code, we made extensive computations for a particular separation scheme on the ionization rate in case of a sin-

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 gle or multiple frequency mode of laser beam with or without chirping, resulting in almost the same ionization rate bcah for
the static and best opitmized dynamic DL matching methods.

Although most of laser specialists were in for the static matching, Laser-J decided to develop hardwares for the dynamic
matching in spring, 1990 with an additional budget given by some of its sponsors, and its contractors finished developing
and fabricating hardwares in 1991 which they brought to Tokai to be installed. We tested them in a second series of Funda-
mental Test in that year to confirm that it worked well.

The comparison of measured ionization rates at the chirping tests with the computed, showed a reasonable level of coin-
cidence. However, I think it necessary still to improve them to a practical level and test them more extensively to conclude
that the method is really effective. I have to say that how to chirp or not is closely connected with the separation scheme se-
lected. Therefore, there is no general rule to determine the way of chirping but it must be decided after lots of simulation ana-
lyses thereof.

2.2 DL BEAM PROFILE AND QUALITY

DL MOPA would have been conceived to produce a good beam quality by adopting a top oscillator which is of small
power output but can produce a good quality of beam that will further be amplified. We adopted a separation scheme of four
frequencies (or wavelengths) and three steps. This means we must prepare four independent DL beams of different frequencies
%%'ith the same dimensional shape of beam section to be uniformly mixed or combined into a beam bundle.
We, as engineer's instinct, thought it natural to select the shape of beam section as circular. Unfortunately, the circular
shape of beam section is most susceptible to the diffraction effect. If we opt for the circular shape, it means to opt for a circu-
las shaped hard edged aperture which will greatly cause the peak value of the on-axis ripple in the near field diffraction pattern
due to its high symmetry. (For example, refer to p. 905 of "LASERS" by A.E.Siegman)

Also our DL beam quality was so poor that we must have frequently cut and modified deformed sectional shapes by aper-
ture in order to make each shape of beam section circular with the same diameter. ( It can be done but with lots of laserpower
losses ! ) In the next step of R and D program, we will select a rectangular shape of beam section which is not only less
susceptible to the diffraction effect but also good for irradiating DL beam effectively on uranium vapor stream between extrac-
tion plates.
In order to improve the DL beam quality to a level of 1.0 Times Diffraction Limited (TDL), we must do lots of things,
such as improving DL oscillator design, the quality of inbetween optical systems, the way of pumping and so on. We have
already been using the "image relaying " in a DL MOPA which is effective in keeping the good beam quality on transmitting
beam from a place to another.
As to the DL oscillator, Laser-J encouraged contractors to renew the current designs and gave them the generic instruction
on how to improve the oscillator to conform with the specification of 1.0 TDL of output beam quality, in January, 1992.
This is closely related with the resonator theory which says the "unstable resonator" would be more suitable for this design
purposes. However, it is the contractors' option which they opt for, stable or unstable resonator, because I would like to give
them a design freedom and their own feature of the oscillator.
Of course, we need to develop a set of diagnostic apparatus to measure and check the beam quality at each location of DL
systems and inbetween optical systems.

2.3 EFFECT OF LONG DISTANCE OF DL PROPAGATION THROUGH URANIUM VAPOR

ON ITS BEAM QUALITY

As to the DL beam quality, there will be a more difficult problem for us to solve. When I refer to it, I mean that the beam
quality would be the best if it resembled a plane wave coming from the infinity so that its wavefront is flat and on which laser
intensity is as uniform as possible.
Even if we can produce the best beam quality of rectangular section at the exit of DL MOPA, its beam must propagate
through the uranium vapor medium of a few hundred meter depth in the commercial plant. There will be miscellaneous causes

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 to degrade its beam quality, such as U238 near resonance effect, diffraction effect, U235 absorption and notably vapor density
variation across the space between a pair of extraction plates. If DL beam quality is deteriorated, the ionization rate averaged
over the toi1 distance of DL propagation will soon drop, for example, below 80 %.

By the way, we calculated the effect of utilization factor of DL photon on the enriching cost, resulting in that less the fac-
tor is, more quickly the cost becomes expensive, based on the design concept of 1500 TSWU/yr commercial plant. (Fig. 7)
It means that we must increase the factor. They say it will be in the range of 5 to 10 %. Why is it of so low percentages,
although it is a vital parameter in the economical optimization ? I believe it is because DL beam so quickly degrades its
quality on propagating through the medium that it must get out of the light-atom interacting process before the ionization rate
decreases considerably.

If we could restore the original good beam quality that we can enjoy at the inlet of a separator optical cell, after some dis-
tance of beam propagation, we might be able to utilize DL beam energy more in order to improve the AVLIS economy.
In May, 1991, Laser-J determined to study and develop the hardware of so called "adaptive control mirror" or "phase con-
Jugate mirror" for that purpose in the next step of R and D program.
One of our contractors is engaged in a project to make a sort of adaptive control mirror that should compensate the atmos-
pheric turbulence which will reduce the resolving power of a gigantic astronomical telescope to be built in Hawaiian Islands.
I think they could apply the technology to our case of correcting any wavefront distortion within a specified precision, for ex-
ample, DL wavelength /10. The concept of the adaptive control mirror system is illustrated in Fig. 8.

Laser-J once asked an university to compute the effect of long distance of DL propagation through uranium vapor on its
beam quality based on Maxwell-Bloch equations by NEC's supercomputer to produce an imformative result on at what extent
of every specified propagation distance we should install such a mirror . This simulation model assumed that the popagating
beam is of a single frequency mode. If it is of multi-frequency mode, I think it very hard to build the simulation model by
which we can compute the average ionization rate by the supercomputer.

The beam quality improvement and the adaptive control mirror system development will be items of top priority in the
next step of R and D program in the field of laser technology.

3. OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCES ON LASER AND OPTICAL SYSTEMS

I only briefly touch with the operational experiences from 1990 to 1992 of laser systems which constitute CVL and DL
MOPAs at Tokai Test Facility, as shown by attached tables.
I also took an example of day to day operational chart for each CVL and DL MOPAs illustrated by attached graphs in the
Fig. 9 and 10. Please be sure that those lasers were developed, fabricated and tested at contractors' works from 1987 to 1989,
belonging to the first generation of lasers which were brought to Tokai Test Facility later to be re-used due to a budget const-
raint, as stated earlier.
It might be rather a rare case that once assembled lasers at manufacturer's works were disassembled and transported to ano-
ther place and assembled again. Pnor to starting their actual operation, it took manufacturers almost the same efforts to in-
stall and adjust them properly as new ones.

From Laser-J's points of view, it took a considerable manpower of laser technicians for maintaining laser systems bet-
ween continued operations. We think alignment jobs thereof should be automated in order to reduce manpower and time
required. In this relation, adopting the optical fiber for CVL to pump up DL is very useful for easier alignment and we will
try to increase the maximum power transmitting capability of the optical fiber to the extent that we may apply it up to the
last stage of DL amplifier in the next step of R and D.

We had a queer experience that we needed a cooling capability for CVL room even in winter season against ourexpecta-
tion, because CVL system dissipates a considerable amount of heat during its operation.
We can say in general that the laser systems could be operated more reliably than the separator system throughout series

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 of miscellaneous tests at Tokai.

By using these laser systems, we could irradiate uranium vapor to ionize, that is, conduct a senes of enriching test with
separators installed at Tokai Test Facility from 1990 to 1992 which I like to explain at a separate occasion. In June, 1992, at
the end of series of all tests, we could make continuous uranium recirculation tests for a few tens of hours without any serious
operational troubles with a larger separator.

However, we had a bitter and careless mistake in building the larger separator. Our time schedule was so short that we dis-
carded a possibility that one of four stages of the vacuum pumps would be a hazardous vibration source to the rigidly install-
ed, high precision of reflecting mirror sytem inside the separator. We tried to eliminate the induced vibration effect on the
minor in vain which will tell us that we should have a separate concrete foundation for installing the pump and take a vibra-
tion absorbing measure on the mirror system.

4. NEXT STEP OF AVLIS R AND D PROGRAM

In mid- 1992, our sponsors, Japanese utility industry have decided to let Laser-J go to the next step of full scale of
AVLIS hardwares development program, where the performance targets for main components are set and will be compared
with the actual achievements that Laser-J will attain (possibly in 1998).
They will make another check and review on the technical reliability and economy based on these achievements further
to decide if Laser-J should go to the final step of building a Demo Facility and making the Enriching Demonstration thereof.
(Another 5 years) Based on the operational data to be collected, Laser-J will then submit the detailed cost estimate on the
commercial plant of 1500 TSWU I yr capacity to its sponsors who will decide the commercial deployment plan, if the' want.

I will show just the overall shematic of the program in Fig. I 1 and R and D targets for laser systems in Fig. 12 and 13.
The logics by which we have made these targets are as follows:
( 1 ) Evaluate the current technical level we have reached so far
(2) Set a bit "conservative" targets for the commercial plant of 1500 TSWU / yr capcity and make its design concepts
br economical assessment on the enriching cost thereof
(3) Plan the R and D program that can fill the gap between (1) and (2) performances
"Conservative" in the above (2) means that we will be able to meet the targets with due efforts within 5or 6 years to come,
based upon our last 6 years' experience on AVLIS R and D activity.

In Japan, they are now building a commercial enriching plant by centrifuge technology and sometime in the next century,
they plan to replace old centrifuges with the improved ones. Japanese AVLIS must compete with the improved centrifuges
in its enriching cost at that time.

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 >
0
0
U-

E
0
G)

cc
[Ml 1OMOd lAO

Power Scaling-up of CVL

500 4-PLANT-SCALE CVL

400 - B (ç58Ornrn CVL)

o Expeririient
300 — A Calculation
a)

0 (560mm CVL)
3-
-J 200 - • Experiment
>
0 Ca Ic Lila tio n

100-
A ; Conventional Circuit
B MPC Circuit
I . I

Oo 100 200 300 400

Laser Tube Length (cm)

Fig.2

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 Fig.3 Semi—Conductor Type of Switching Device

C,)

I0
C
0

00
C)

D
C)

E
0
0
4-'91 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1-'922 3 4 5 6
month
Fig.4 Accumulated Operational Hours

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 C)
uu
0
C) 'Buffer gas flow rate - a few cdmn
18O
00 160—
•
.. •
.
.
C.) • ,—......
• :• •••• . .
0C)
0 140- -•-•-••---• .
:...
. —•• • • -
0 120-• .. .

'I-
0 100 -•
•• •
.
65 qSCV [ •
...- . -. - ----- ——-4 - —.

4-'
8O :• . •.
12Og/9OOh O.14g/h
:
•
:3
0 6O • . .
(56bg/4,000h)
E
.. CVL 'Ti
4O->,,
• . .
//' • •• •
4g/92OhO.OO5g/h
f .
a)
4-' ..
20- i . ..
•k' .
(26g/4,000h)
:3
0
•I r .
E 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200h
:3
0
0 Accumulated Operational Hours

Fig.5 Copper Consumption Rate

L Without Chirpij] iith Chirpi]

Laser Spectrum Laser Spectrum

Frequency V (t)
(GHz)

E/O Crystal
I— —i
A Laser Beam
B CD A B
C DE

I
Absorption Lines of 235U
I
GF

liii
Absorption Lines of 235U

Fig.6 DL Matching with U235 Hyperfine Structure

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 (/)

Wave Front
CD
Measurement Relative Enriching Cost
cD cJ cD
0 Incident Beam
0 (precision A/1O
CD
respons speed O.lsec)
CD

A)
A)

0 Adaptive Shack - Hartmann Sensor

Control
Mirror
.1 0
0

Reflective ( c-fl

Mirror .J 3•
T1
0
0
speed 3sec)

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Fig.8 Concept of Adaptive Mirror System
 CVL MOPA Line Al A2 B2 Bi C Dl D2 E
Accumulated 2080 1970 2061 1852 2303 2155 1074 1099
Operational Hours
Output Maximum 97 91 98 94 130 95 203 196
Power [W] Average 84 77 84 84 114 86 165 174
Conversion 0.49 0.55 0.53 0.57 0.84 0.46 0.67 0.70
Efficiency [%]

Beam alignment & Instrument cal ibrat ion

250 . Instrument calibration

200

150

0
100

50

0
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
Time (1 2/1 2/ 91)

Fig.9 Output Power Trends of CVL MOPAs

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 I ypKdl JperiwurkII IJdLU UI IJL. IV1J1MS
DL MOPA Line A B C D Comment
Dye DCM R6G R6G KRS
Accumulated 1183 1184 1735 1(5 MayP90-Junei92
Operational Hours
Output Maximum 87 34 15 during the service—time for a separation run
13
Power [W] Average 59 11 24 10 during the service—time for a separation run
Conversion 16.2 186 23.8 12.2 at the end of the service—time for a separa—
Efficiency [%] tion run

90

80

78

60

G)

o 48
0
30

20

10

0
8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00
Time (12/12/91)

Fig.1O Output Power Trends of DL MOPAs

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 FUTURE PROJECT SCHEDULE
1993 94 95 96 97 98 99 01 Q
A A
o_ ••bó•• Q$LR ç&•.•.•

Test Facility ——————

A & D on Hardwares

Demo.Plant ... uoee Ope

Fig. 11

Copper Vapor Laser

R&D Targets How to Demonstrate

Single Unit Output : 500W • Continuous operation test

For lasertubes, switches etc., life
Single Unit Efficiency : 2%
time is confirmed by accumulative
MOPA Output : 2000W time under operation of target out-
Output Stability : 2% put level
Repetition Rate :46kHz
Beam Delivery Efficiency :95%
Maintenance Time : 6 hr s . Independent maintenance test

Fig.1 2

Dye Laser —
R&D Targets
L How to Demonstrate
Output (MOPA) : 700W •Continuous operation test
OutputStability : 5%
Conversion Efficiency :40%
Beam Profile : Rectangular
Homogeneous
Wave Front Quality : , /4
Repetition Rate : 12kHz
Beam Shaping Efficiency : 80%
Beam Conbination " :85%
Maintenance Time : 6hrs Independent maintenance test

Fig.13

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