Title: Production of chain reactions by laser chemistry

I claim:

1. A process for initiating chain reactions by laser chemistry which comprises mixing in a bounded space at least two compounds of a kind and in amounts capable of sustaining a chain reaction and initiating a reaction therebetween by irradiating the mixture with an infrared laser beam having a frequency not absorbed by said compounds and insufficient to create a spark.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said compounds are of a kind and are in amounts capable of sustaining combustion.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein said mixture is in contact with a decomposable compound which is decomposed by said combustion.

4. A process according to claim 2 wherein said combustion is initiated by a single laser pulse.

5. A process according to claim 3 wherein said decomposable compound is a metal compound.

6. A process according to claim 2 wherein said compounds are fuels from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrocarbons and alcohols and oxidizers from the group consisting of air, oxygen and chlorine.


Other info:


Inventors: Ronn, Avigdor M. (Great Neck, NY)

Application Number: 06/153170
Filing Date: 1980-05-27
Publication_date: 1982-08-10
Assignee: RES FOUNDATION OF CITY UNIVERS

Primary Class(es): 204/157.410 204/157.500, 204/157.470
Other Classes: B01J19/12; C01B17/04; C01G31/02; C01G37/02; C01G49/06; C23C16/48; C01B17/00; C01G31/00; C01G37/00; C01G49/02; B0
US Patent Ref:

0825927	May, 1980	Ronn et al.
3719454	March, 1973	Shang	204/158L
4043308	August, 1977	Cerkanowicz	204/162R	Control of the initiation of combustion and control of combustion
4155822	December, 1977	Thomas	Isotope separation process
4230546	October, 1980	Ronn	204/158R	Method of molecular specie alteration by nonresonant laser induced dielectric breakdown

Other Refs: GB1429426

March, 1976

204/162R

Other References: Article published in AIAA entitled "Laser Spark Ignition of Chemically Reactive Gases", vol. 7, No. 2.

Primary Examiner: Williams, Howard S.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Kenny, Raymond J.
Macqueen, Ewan C.