Can Laser Beam Increase Alpha-Decay of Uranium?

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SUMMARY

A powerful laser beam does not increase the probability of nuclear alpha-decay of uranium when using visible light, as the energy scale of nuclear excitations is in MeV while visible light photons are in eV. Theoretically, a gamma-ray laser could achieve this, but current technology does not allow for the construction of such a device. Additionally, a visible light laser can heat uranium, causing molecular collisions that may increase energy levels, potentially affecting uranium nuclei, but this does not lead to a chain reaction of alpha-decay.

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mig29
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Hello. I would ask you can a powerful laser beam increase probability of nuclear alpha-decay of uranium. And can we light chain reaction of nuclear alpha-decay of enriched uranium with a mass much less then critical mass by a laser?
 
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If you're talking about a visible light laser, then the answer is no. The energy scale of nuclear excitations is MeV, while visible light photons are eV. It's conceivable that you could do it with a gamma-ray laser, but nobody knows how to build a gamma-ray laser.
 
A powerful visible light laser also heat substance. Thereby molecules of uranium increase its energy and begin come into collision with each other. If a laser has enough capacity the energy which transform in energy of disturbance of uranium nuclei after collision may be more than Mev.
 

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