Excitation and dissociation mechanisms in molecules with application to mercuric halide laser system

The mercuric halide laser systems which are one of only two efficient electronic transition lasers known were examined. The precise collisional mechanisms leading to HgBr(B), formation and subsequent fluorescence which are still imperfectly understood are discussed. Explanations for HgBr(B) formation included energy transfer from exicted N2 or rare gases, electronic recombination of HgBr2( ), or dissociative electron attachement. It is demonstrated that electronic energy transfer does play a role in HgBr(B) formation in the presence of N2 or X/sub e/ buffers, yet modeling studies of e-beam sustained discharges showed that direct electron impact excitation of mercuric halides, is the dominant laser mechanism. The technique of electron energy loss spectroscopy was used to obtain pseudo-optical absorption spectra in HgBr2 and HgC12.