Direct laser re-processing method

Useful materials are separated as products or unnecessary materials are eliminated to remove from spent fuels in nuclear reactors by irradiaitng laser beams to atom beams or molecular beams as an object by utilizing the fact that the wavelength of the laser agrees with the spectral absorption band of aimed atoms and molecules. Further, for obtaining the atom or molecule beams, the spent fuels in the nuclear reactor are evaporated and thermally decomposed by electron beams. This enables not only the separation of uranium and plutonium but also concentration of uranium simultaneously. (T.M.)