Mercury excimer processes in resonant optically pumped vapour

Abstract

Absorption measurements are reported at 570 nm in optically excited mercurynitrogen mixtures at low mercury densities such as are found in atomic mercury lasers. The absorbing species is identified as the Hg₂(O _g ) dimer, and a model for the formation of steady-state dimer and trimer populations, which gives good agreement with the measurements, is described. The absorption gives rise to a loss mechanism in the mercury laser not previously considered, which depends on the intensity of the uv pumping.